A post mortem will today reveal whether a third body recovered from the ruins of Christopher Foster’s country home is that of his missing teenage daughter.

The body was removed from the rubble of Osbaston House in Maesbrook, near Oswestry, late last night.

It is feared that it could be 15-year-old Kirstie – who is still unaccounted for.

A forensic archaeologist was brought in by top detectives while the body was removed, in a bid to preserve any crucial evidence which may provide some clues in the huge murder probe.

Detectives said the gender, identity and how the person died would not be known until a post mortem was carried out later today.

The body was found on Sunday – two days after the body of Mr Foster’s 49-year-old wife, Jill, was discovered alongside an as yet unidentified male body. A rifle, owned by Mr Foster, was also found by the two bodies.

The unidentified male is feared to be her 50-year-old husband who has not been seen since the blaze des-troyed the three-storey home a week ago. Mrs Foster died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Further tests were being carried out today to try to find out how the second person died.

Detective Superintendent Jon Groves, who is leading the murder inquiry, said: “At this stage we are not able to release any details of the body, including whether it is male or female.

“We will be looking to establish whether the body is that of Kirstie Foster, or indeed Christopher Foster, as both of them remain unaccounted for at this time.”

The remains of the £1.15 million family home are being painstakingly searched by teams of forensic officers.

Police said the fire was started deliberately and an accelerant was used.

Footage from “a number of CCTV cameras” have been recovered from the house but detectives have not yet revealed what it shows.

Mr Groves said the families of both Mr and Mrs Foster were “very distressed”.

By Crime Correspondent Kirsty Smallman

See also:

Third body removed from mansion

Local reaction to Foster tragedy

Accelerant used in Foster blaze

Timeline for mansion tragedy

Wife’s body found at arson house

Computers recovered from house

Did pressure cause millionaire to ‘flip’?

Kirstie ‘on net’ before blaze

Businessman ‘risked losing £1m home’

Forensics team’s grim search

Latest search pictures

Inside Osbaston Hall before the blaze

Scene of the mansion blaze