Foster family to be buried in local church

Troubled millionaire Christopher Foster will be buried beside his wife and daughter who he killed in August before taking his own life.

Mr Foster, 50, killed his wife Jill, 49, and daughter Kirstie, 15, before setting fire to their £1.2 million family mansion in Maesbrook, Shropshire, and committing suicide in August. An inquest into their deaths has been opened and adjourned.

He will be buried in a plot beside his wife and daughter at St John’s Church, Maesbrook on Friday.

The funerals of Mrs Foster and Kirstie will take place at 1100 GMT, while Mr Foster will be buried in a separate funeral service at 1430 GMT.

The services will be led by a senior retired clergyman who lives in the area, the Venerable Tony Sadler, former Archdeacon of Walsall.

Mrs Foster’s sister, Anne Giddings, told The People newspaper of her anger at Mr Foster’s burial so close to her sister and niece. She wanted him buried “as far away as possible” from them, the paper reported.

"I'm gutted to think that beast will be buried in the same cemetery as my sister and her beautiful daughter. He will be lying right next to them, just a few feet away,” she said.

The Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lichfield said in a statement on Sunday that the funeral arrangements had been made in consultation with the relatives and next of kin.

“With the unusual circumstances surrounding the tragic deaths of the Foster family, it is impossible to find a solution which will fully satisfy everybody,” he said.

“But we hope the funerals will provide a dignified opportunity for the families and friends to pay their final respects.”