Post-mortems confirm children were stabbed

The three children murdered at a Shropshire beauty spot by their father were stabbed to death, a post-mortem has confirmed.

A Home Office pathologist carried out examinations on Sam, 12, Rebecca, eight, and Charlotte, seven, yesterday afternoon and established that all three died from stab wounds.

A post-mortem has yet to be conducted on their father Ceri Fuller, 35, who killed the children before taking his own life in the former quarry at Poles Coppice, Pontesbury Hill.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson said today that police and forensic officers were nearing completion of their work at the scene, which remains cordoned off.

He hoped the area would re-opened to the public by this evening or tomorrow morning.

Inquiries are continuing in Shropshire and Gloucestershire in a bid to establish the movements of the family after leaving their home in the Forest of Dean last week.

Mr Jamieson said: "We know they were in the Leominster area at round noon on Thursday and then in Newtown around 3pm. From there, they went on to Welshpool area and were there just after 3.30pm.

"We are still trawling routes for CCTV opportunities to establish further information, especially about their movement towards Shrewsbury and the Pontesbury area."

David Fuller, the father of Ceri Fuller, said 'he cannot begin to imagine' what was going through his son's mind. He said that he had been left stunned by the tragedy.

"The Fuller and Tocknell families are devastated by this tragedy," he said.

"His (Ceri's) relationship with each one of them was one of gentleness, involvement and attentive nurturing. Sam, Rebecca and Charlie were such charming individuals, brought up in an environment of love.

"We cannot begin to imagine what was going through the mind of this gentle man to drive him to such action."