The sister and brother-in-law of Oswestry father Hugh McFall today spoke for the first time of their shock at his death and at the murders of his wife and daughter.

Mr McFall’s sister Claire Rheade and her husband Neil said they had been devastated by the killings. And they said, despite Mr McFall’s actions, they “loved him dearly” and described him as a good friend.

Mr McFall, 48, killed his wife Sue, 56, and their 18-year-old daughter Frankie at their family home in Hampton Road, Oswestry, on Friday before driving to the lock-up unit he had in St Martins where he hanged himself.

Speaking on behalf of himself and his wife, Mr Rheade said: “We loved him dearly. Everybody is devastated.

“I worked with him at the unit.

“He was a good friend as well as a brother-in-law.”

Mr Rheade said the couple’s thoughts were with Mrs McFall’s family and her remaining children in particular.

Mrs McFall had two children, Nicola and Daniel, from a previous marriage.

Nicola is a teacher at The Marches School in Oswestry, which on Monday held a minute’s silence, attended by more than 1,000 pupils in memory of Frankie, the school’s former head girl.

Mr Rheade added: “Our thoughts go to Dan and Nikki, Sue’s children. Our thoughts also go to all of Sue’s family.

“We are still far too upset to say anything more.”

Mr Rheade said he would not comment on speculation that Mr McFall had killed his daughter and wife and then himself because of financial problems.

And he said he was not in a position to say how Mrs McFall and Frankie died.

Inquests are to be opened tomorrow morning at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court by the coroner for Mid and North Shropshire, Mr John Ellery.

Police said today that the full investigation into what happened was likely to take weeks to complete.

Police spokesman Richard Ewels said: “Our investigations into this tragedy are continuing.

“We are keeping close family members informed of our progress.”

By Iain St John