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| Police search arson house annexe | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Officers investigating a fire at the home of a millionaire and his family - who are all missing - have searched an annexe of the main building. | |
| Osbaston House, an isolated property near Maesbrook, Shropshire, was set alight in the early hours of Tuesday. | Osbaston House, an isolated property near Maesbrook, Shropshire, was set alight in the early hours of Tuesday. |
| Christopher Foster, 50, his wife Jillian, 49, and daughter Kirstie, 15, have not been seen since. It is not known if they were in the building. | Christopher Foster, 50, his wife Jillian, 49, and daughter Kirstie, 15, have not been seen since. It is not known if they were in the building. |
| West Mercia Police said they hoped to search the main building later. | |
| 'Cursory search' | |
| Spt Gary Higgins said: "Officers have completed a search of the outbuildings and are now in the process of removing vehicles from the site. | |
| "We have completed a cursory search of the annexe part of the main building which is relatively intact following the fire." | |
| Police sniffer dogs have been taken to the scene ahead of the main search. | |
| A convoy of more than 10 police vehicles have also arrived at the scene. | |
| The emergency services have so far considered the ruins unsafe to enter and police said they were waiting for the building to be declared structurally safe before they went in. | The emergency services have so far considered the ruins unsafe to enter and police said they were waiting for the building to be declared structurally safe before they went in. |
| West Mercia Police have said they think the fire was started deliberately. | West Mercia Police have said they think the fire was started deliberately. |
| Supt Gary Higgins said: "This is being treated as arson and, until we can determine whether the family was inside, it will remain arson." | Supt Gary Higgins said: "This is being treated as arson and, until we can determine whether the family was inside, it will remain arson." |
| Painstaking searches | Painstaking searches |
| Three horses were found dead in a stable block, which was also gutted in the fire. Two dogs are missing and various outbuildings were also destroyed. | Three horses were found dead in a stable block, which was also gutted in the fire. Two dogs are missing and various outbuildings were also destroyed. |
| CCTV cameras from the property have been taken away and officers have warned that forensic searches will be painstaking and likely to take some time. | CCTV cameras from the property have been taken away and officers have warned that forensic searches will be painstaking and likely to take some time. |
| The fire in the house, thought to be valued at £1.2m, broke out at about 0500 BST on Tuesday.This picture of the Fosters was taken at a friend's house on Monday | The fire in the house, thought to be valued at £1.2m, broke out at about 0500 BST on Tuesday.This picture of the Fosters was taken at a friend's house on Monday |
| The day before the family had attended a barbecue at a friend's house. | The day before the family had attended a barbecue at a friend's house. |
| Mr Foster is listed as the director of Ulva Limited - a thermal insulation manufacturing company in Telford - with Mrs Foster named as company secretary. | Mr Foster is listed as the director of Ulva Limited - a thermal insulation manufacturing company in Telford - with Mrs Foster named as company secretary. |
| The firm went into administration in August last year and a court order was issued in November for the company to be wound up. | The firm went into administration in August last year and a court order was issued in November for the company to be wound up. |
| A judge later found Mr Foster had spent the previous months stripping Ulva of its assets and transferring them to a new firm he had set up called Ulva International. | A judge later found Mr Foster had spent the previous months stripping Ulva of its assets and transferring them to a new firm he had set up called Ulva International. |
| Mr Foster was also the alleged victim of a blackmail - but two men were cleared of attempting to blackmail him into giving them £100,000 at Shrewsbury Crown Court in November 2006. | Mr Foster was also the alleged victim of a blackmail - but two men were cleared of attempting to blackmail him into giving them £100,000 at Shrewsbury Crown Court in November 2006. |
| Kirstie Foster is a year 10 pupil at Ellesmere College, an independent school in Ellesmere, Shropshire. | Kirstie Foster is a year 10 pupil at Ellesmere College, an independent school in Ellesmere, Shropshire. |
| Headteacher Brendan Wignall said: "Kirstie is a charming, popular and hard-working girl with many friends, all of whom are hoping she will be found safe and well." | Headteacher Brendan Wignall said: "Kirstie is a charming, popular and hard-working girl with many friends, all of whom are hoping she will be found safe and well." |
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| Aerial footage of Shropshire mansion following fire | Aerial footage of Shropshire mansion following fire |