Funerals for mansion murder victims

Dec 19 2008

Mourners gathered for the funeral of a mother and daughter murdered by a ruined millionaire in their home.

Businessman Christopher Foster, 50, is believed to have shot dead his wife Jill, 49, and 15-year-old daughter Kirstie before torching the family mansion and turning the gun on himself.

Family and friends poured into St John's Church in Maesbrook, Shropshire, to pay their final respects to the pair, just a short distance from the £1.2 million home the Foster family once shared.

A separate service for Mr Foster is to be held at the same church later on Friday.

The two coffins, each adorned with pink floral arrangements, were wheeled into the church followed by the congregation.

Around a hundred mourners filled the church to capacity, with many forced to stand in the churchyard listening to the service on a loudspeaker system.

The service was led by the Venerable Tony Sadler, formerly the Archdeacon of Walsall, who delivered an address to the congregation.

He said: "No-one could have predicted that such a tragedy as this could happen in the depth of this beautiful Shropshire countryside.

"All those who know the family are still numb as they struggle to put out of their minds the sad events that bring us all here today.

"As we remember Jill and her 15-year-old daughter Kirstie, our thoughts and prayers surround all who mourn their loss, especially Jill's brother Roger, Jill's sister Ann, her husband, James and their son Josh."