Father stabbed his children to death at Shropshire beauty spot

Ceri Fuller, 35, leapt more than 65ft to his death at a disused quarry. He suffered "significant" head and body injuries, the inquest was told.

His 12-year-old son Samuel was found by West Mercia Police at the bottom of the quarry. He had suffered multiple stab wounds, together with cuts to his hands.

Dr Alexander Kolar, a Home Office forensic pathologist, said the injuries to his hand suggested the youngster had been in some sort of struggle with his father directly before being stabbed.

The bodies of Rebecca, eight, and her seven-year-old sister Charlotte were also recovered from the scene, at Poles Coppice, on Pontesbury Hill, near Shrewsbury. Both had suffered multiple stab wounds, deputy coroner for Shropshire Andrew Barkley was told.

The family had been missing from their home 75 miles away in the Forest of Dean, in Gloucestershire, for four days and police launched a major search for them after reported sightings of their maroon-coloured Land Rover Freelander.

DNA matching all three children was found on a hunting knife, which had a red logo on the handle and was described as being 13cms long by 3cms wide.

Dr Kolar, giving evidence from his findings, said Samuel had suffered a wound to his neck during the attack on July 16 last year. He said that Rebecca and Charlotte had both suffered stab wounds to the neck and chest.

The children's bodies, described as 'little angels', were found within 40 yards of each other and just several hundred yards away from where Mr Fuller's car was abandoned.

In statements read to the court, friends of Mr Fuller, a production line supervisor, described him as a reserved family man who went walking in the country with colleagues. Paper mill employee Alan Norton said Mr Fuller had appeared to be his normal self before he failed to attend work for a night shift on July 12.

He said: "I didn't notice anything different about him from his usual self and I didn't notice any changes in his behaviour or personality."

Peter Morgan, whose statement was also read to the inquest, said: "I thought him to be a reserved type of person, very mild-mannered and softly-spoken. I am not aware of any reason as to why he may have taken his own life or that of his children."

Steven Bovill, who worked alongside Mr Fuller at the paper mill in Lydney, Gloucestershire, added: "On July 11 he seemed to be his normal self. He was always calm and level-headed. I have no idea if he was having any personal issues or family problems." Dr Nicholas Hunt, a Home Office forensic pathologist who carried out the post-mortem on Mr Fuller, said he had died from "multiple blunt" injuries consistent with a fall.

Giving evidence, forensic scientist Christopher McKenzie, confirmed that DNA profiles of the youngsters had been found on the weapon.

The inquest continues.