‘Arson’ man risked losing home

Christopher Foster, the 50-year-old millionaire missing with his wife and daughter since their home was destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning, may have been at risk of losing his home to liquidators. As police hope to enter the gutted building later today to search for Mr Foster, his wife Jill and their 15-year-old daughter Kirstie, it emerged that in May this year liquidators appointed following the collapse of his company had secured an "interim charge" on Osbaston House, near Oswestry.

The liquidators' name - Butcher Woods - was placed on the land register of Mr Foster's property, apparently so that they could repossess the house if he did not pay off the debts incurred by the £2m collapse of Ulva Ltd, which specialised in insulation for oil pipelines.

The house has not yet been safe to search, but the carcasses of some of the family's horses and dogs were found in the remains of an outbuilding, apparently having been shot dead so that they would not make a noise and draw attention to the fire. Police believe the fire was started deliberately, and have not ruled out the possibility that Mr Foster started it himself. Neighbours were woken by the sound of car fuel tanks exploding. Mr Foster drove two Porsches and an Aston Martin.

The three-storey house on the Welsh borders, and several of its outhouses, were all burning when firefighters arrived and there were unconfirmed reports that a horsebox had been left blocking the gates to the mansion, with its tyres slashed, to hamper their entry.

Foster, 50, is a well-known local figure, said to have been a multi-millionaire before he was 30. He drives two Porsches and an Aston Martin, and edcuated his daughter privately.