Shock over what led Foster to kill

The friends of Chris Foster were today in shock after it was revealed he murdered his own wife and daughter before killing himself.

Julian Edwards, one of the last people to see the Fosters alive, said: "As a family we are just devastated by it. We don't know what to say. We are devastated and upset by the whole incident.

"We've known them since they moved into the area. We spent a lot of time with them and were out with them quite often."

Mr Edwards said he believed Foster's wife Jill drove back from the barbecue at about 8.30pm as she had not been drinking.

Mr Edwards said their daughter Kirstie's Bebo page "said it all" about her, where she had told friends "horses are my life". The page also boasted photographs of the youngster laughing and joking with friends and riding her beloved horses. Messages of support have flooded in since the blaze. Mr Edwards said: "She was just a lovely girl."

Ian Coe, the Foster family's farrier, who had visited Osbaston House just days before the blaze, said he could not believe Foster had murdered and destroyed "everything he loved".

"It's what you feared more than expected," he said.He added: "All the way through, I was living in hope that at least Kirstie would be okay. To hear what happened is a huge shock and you feel sorry for their families.

"It's something that just shouldn't happen.

"What has driven this family man to destroy everything in life that he loved? Something has gone terribly wrong which has caused Chris to do it."

Mr Coe said the Fosters were the "nicest family you could meet" and denied claims Foster was a "boaster".

"The Fosters I knew were an exceptional pleasure to work for who were planning for the future," he said.

"Being a family man myself, you could tell being a family man was everything to Chris.

"The family, the life, the house meant the world to him.

"They will never be forgotten, but it's such tragic circumstances."

The 43-year-old, from Pontrobert, Meifod, said: "He had nice vehicles there, but if you can afford to drive around in them, you do. He wasn't the flash person people have portrayed him as."

Mr Coe said the couple had a pick-up truck to tow the horse trailer, which Foster used to keep the emergency services out during the blaze, and a Range Rover to go shooting.

He said he believed the Porsche belonged to Jill.

Rowena Andrews, horse section secretary at Berriew Show, where Kirstie won a trophy just three days before she was murdered, said: "What did those poor women do to deserve it?

"I feel so sorry for them. That little girl's life has gone, it's such a waste."

A shooting colleague of Foster said he did not believe he was capable of the murders.

Graham Evans, Shropshire Pigeon Shooting Association chairman, said: "Chris was such a nice, down to earth, happy-go-lucky kind of guy. I didn't think he would be capable.

"There's only three people who know what went on in that house that night. It's unbelievable that it's actually happened. All the money in the world is not worth that."

The headmaster of Ellesmere College, where 15-year-old Kirstie was a pupil, has paid tribute to a "popular girl" with a "positive, kind and cheerful disposition".

Brendan Wignall said: "Kirstie had been a student at Ellesmere College since early 2006 and had successfully completed the first year of her GCSE courses. She was a happy, hard-working and charming student.

"She took a full part in the life of the college, playing in a number of sports teams, and was always committed to the life of the school community.

"Her great love was horse-riding, in which she enjoyed considerable success, although her natural modesty meant she played down her prowess in this area.

"Her parents were very supportive of her and the Fosters always appeared to be a close, loving and united family.

"Kirstie will be remembered with love and affection by those who knew her well. She was a popular girl because of her positive, kind and cheerful disposition.

"She will be greatly missed. Term begins next week, and the college pastoral team will be ready to offer support to all those affected by this tragedy."

See also: Close up view shows scale of tragedy

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Inside Osbaston Hall before the blaze

Scene of the mansion blaze