Accelerant used in Foster blaze

A third body has been found in the burned-out home of millionaire businessman Christopher Foster, detectives said today.

The grim find comes after police launched a murder inquiry yesterday when one of the two bodies already recovered was identified as Mr Foster’s wife, Jill. A post mortem revealed she died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Experts were this afternoon working to remove the remains from the scene, but said it could take some time.

Police said search teams found the third body under rubble at the fire-ravaged Osbaston House in Maesbrook last night.

Officers said Christopher Foster and his 15-year-old daughter Kirstie remained “unaccounted for”.

The third body has not yet been taken from the scene as experts work to identify the remains along with the second body, believed to be that of a man, found on Friday.

Detectives said no further details of the remains would be revealed until a post mortem had taken place. Police today confirmed an accelerant was used to start the blaze and said they had recovered CCTV footage.

The arson investigation turned into a murder probe yesterday afternoon when detectives revealed one of the two bodies found together on Friday afternoon was Mrs Foster. The 49-year-old was identified through dental records.

A rifle owned by her husband was discovered close to her body. A forensic archaelogist arrived at the scene just before lunchtime to help with the work.

Mr Foster’s .22 rim fire rifle was found near to his wife’s body, which lay close to the unidentified man and the remains of a fourth shot dog. Forensic examination is being undertaken to identify whether this was the weapon used to kill Mrs Foster.

Detectives today denied claims Mrs Foster had been left a large inheritance in the weeks before she was murdered and also refuted claims Kirstie was the subject of a kidnap plot.

But they said the financial situation of Mr and Mrs Foster was being investigated as part of the murder probe.

Brendan Wignall, headteacher at Ellesmere College, where Kirstie is a pupil, said today: “We are all deeply concerned about this latest development in the ongoing investigation.”