Oil 'used to fuel mansion fire'

The burnt remains of 50-year-old Mr Foster, his wife Jill and daughter Kirstie, 15, were found in Osbaston House, Maesbrook, days after the blaze in August last year. He is believed to have killed them both before torching their home and committing suicide.

A hole had been made and a pipe installed to pump out the oil from the plastic tank at the front of the £1.2 million property in Maesbrook, Shropshire, the inquest at Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court was told.

An electric saw and the remains of a pump were found nearby, and metal drums containing the fuel were discovered scattered around the property and its outbuildings, the hearing at Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court was told.

A heavy duty pipe coming from the tank was found leading to a ground floor window of the house.

Retained firefighter David Minter, who was called to tackle the blaze in the early hours of August 26, told the inquest into their deaths: "It was obvious that not only had the fire been started deliberately but accelerant had been used."

Friend and neighbour John Hughes, who went to the house with police just after 4am as firefighters battled the "horrendous fire", said "something looked suspicious".

He said pipes from the central heating tank were "hanging out" and "going into the house".

Mr Hughes, who lives a mile away from Osbaston House, told the inquest into their deaths that when he arrived at the scene on August 26, a third of the mansion was alight and the barns were burnt out.

The Foster family had spent the previous day at a clay pigeon shoot and barbecue at Mr Hughes' home. Mr Hughes told the hearing: "During the day they seemed to be in very good spirits and seemed fine, but as they came to leave, Chris was very insistent that they did leave."