Foster family funerals held

Relatives and friends of Shropshire millionaire Chris Foster and the wife and teenage daughter he killed said their final goodbyes today.

More than 100 people were at the tiny St John's Church in Maesbrook, near Oswestry, for the funerals of Jill, 49, and 15-year-old Kirstie, which took place this morning, just hours before Foster's.

There were noticeably fewer mourners at this afternoon's ceremony.

The funerals took place in the village where Foster murdered Jill and Kirstie, before torching the family and killing himself. Speaking for the first time, Foster's brother Andrew said in a statement: "We will never come to terms with what has happened and will never understand why Chris took Jill and Kirstie's lives away from them.

"We can only hope and pray that they now rest in peace."

The village came to a standstill as a single hearse carrying the coffins of Jill and Kirstie arrived shortly before 11am.

Friends unable to fit into the church stood outside as Kirstie's coffin followed that of her mother's down the short path.

A symbol of Kirstie's love of horses was shown with flowers in the shape of a horseshoe.

Later, all 150 mourners gathered at the graveside where mother and daughter were buried together.

Teenage girls hugged and broke down in tears.

Among those attending Foster's funeral were friends from when he lived in Allscott and also from his time as a customer at the Pheasant pub in Admaston, Telford.

The funerals come nearly four months after the tragic events at the family's £1.2 million Maesbrook home, Osbaston House.

In his sermon for Kirstie and Jill, senior retired clergyman the Venerable Tony Sadler, said: "No-one could have predicted that such a tragedy as this could happen in the depth of this beautiful Shropshire countryside. As Christians we are required to forgive – but for many at the moment, that is a step too far – the wounds are too raw."

Speaking at Foster's funeral, he added: "Faced with the tragedy before us, we have each used the few known facts, wretched though they be, and tortured ourselves by trying to imagine the last moments of the family's lives. Some people's imaginations are more vivid than others.

"We have each tried to put ourselves into the family's shoes. We've mithered ourselves to find explanations. Even if we get on with doing something else, our imagination will not let us rest. Our imaginations are in need of healing."

By Kirsty Smallman, Suzanne Roberts and Iain St John

For further reports see tonight's Shropshire Star

Two mourners embrace at the church before the funeral of Jill Foster and daughter Kirstie nextpage

The bodies of Jill Foster and daughter Kirstie are brought to church. Pictures by Peter Flemmich.nextpage

One of the coffins, covered in flowers nextpage

The coffins are brought into church

The coffin bearers make their way into the church

The coffins of Jill and Kirstie Foster are brought into St John's Church, Maesbrooknextpage Mourners follow the coffins into the church