BBC commentator John Hunt’s wife and daughters ‘tied up and shot dead’

BBC Five Live racing commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters have been revealed as the victims of a deadly crossbow attack at their home. 

Mother Carol, 61, and daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28, were found fatally injured at their £800,000 detached home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, last night.

Police sources said the three women were tied up before being shot in a ‘targeted attack’ that may have also included ‘other weapons’.

A huge manhunt is underway to find suspect Kyle Clifford, 26, who is the ex-boyfriend of John’s daughter Louise.

Helicopters were seen circling the Hilly Fields area of Enfield, north London, on Wednesday afternoon before police raided an empty property in the area.

They then turned their sights on a nearby primary school which has gone into lockdown after locating the suspect’s car.

Police have warned Clifford may be armed and dangerous, and urged the public not to approach the man if they see him, but to instead call 999 immediately.

At a press conference today, Hertfordshire Police urged Clifford to ‘make contact with the police’ as the suspect in the killings remains at large.

Clifford, from Enfield, north London, used to work as a security guard, it has been reported. 

This morning, the usually quiet cul-de-sac was swarming with armed police and forensic officers as the triple murder investigation continued.

Although the police have not officially released the identity of the victims, the BBC revealed this afternoon that the three women were the wife and two daughters of its racing commentator John Hunt.

He had been working at Lingfield Park Racecourse in Surrey yesterday before returning home in the evening to discover the horror that had unfolded.

Shocked neighbours said Louise ran a dog grooming business called Groom and Glow from the detached house in a cul-de-sac.

Local resident William Nourallah paid tribute to the ‘beautiful young girl’.

He said: ‘She was a gorgeous girl. She really was a young, hardworking girl. I met the mum once or twice because she opened the door for me. I met the father

‘She was happy every time I saw her. We would have a laugh and a joke. She was a beautiful young girl. It’s a waste of a life.’

Another neighbour Glyn Nicholas, 77, said that Louise had been left upset at breaking up with a boyfriend and crashed her car last week as a result.

He said: ‘Louise was a very nice girl. She ran a dog grooming business from the house.

‘I heard that she split from a boyfriend last week and was very upset about it. So much so that she was driving home at some point last week and drove into a wooden telegraph pole not far from the house.

‘Another dog groomer – who is a friend of Louise’s – told me that her car door had caved in because of the crash.

‘Who the boyfriend was, I don’t know, I never saw him. I believe Hannah, Louise’s sister, was also killed along with their mother Carol. 

‘I didn’t know Hannah too well but Carol was very quaint, a nice, polite and quiet lady. She was at home a lot of the time.

‘Her husband John is a BBC radio commentator. He commentates on horse racing mostly. I believe he may have been at Lingfield racecourse yesterday.

‘This is such an awful incident, the whole community is in shock.’

A neighbour, who lives on the ‘serene and quiet road’ and did not want to be named, said they were a ‘friendly family’.

‘We would see them every day passing by and they would say ‘good morning’,’ she said. ‘It’s really sad what’s happened, very shocking.’

In a note sent to staff at BBC Five Live today, the corporation described the incident as ‘utterly devastating’.

The note read: ‘The news today about John Hunt’s family is utterly devastating.

‘Our thoughts are with John and his family at this incredibly difficult time and we will provide him with all the support we can.’

In a press conference on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson from Hertfordshire Police told reporters the murders are believed to be ‘targeted’.

The force also warned the public not to approach the suspect who ‘may be in possession of a crossbow’.

He said: ‘Our overarching objective today is to protect public safety and to locate Kyle Clifford, who is wanted in connection with the murder of the three women in what we believe is a targeted incident.

‘We have extensive police resources deployed to various locations in north London and also the Bushey area.

‘The manhunt also involves armed police officers and specialist search teams responding at pace in the wake of what has been a horrific incident involving what is currently believed to be a crossbow, but other weapons may also have been used.’

Addressing Clifford directly, he said: ‘Kyle, if you are seeing or hearing this, please make contact with the police.’

Armed police were seen forcing their way into a house in Rendlesham Road, Enfield, this morning in a raid that is believed to be related to the horrific killings.

The house, which is close to Gordon Hill railway station, had two officers stood guard outside this afternoon hours after helicopters were seen patrolling the skies overhead.

While this was taking place a nearby primary school in Enfield was sent into lockdown as police searched for the triple murder suspect.

Jade-Simone Bacon, headteacher of St Michael’s CofE Primary School in Brigadier Hill, in Enfield, said pupils have not been allowed to go outside.

But parents will be able to pick up their children at ‘the normal time’ at the end of the school day, Mrs Bacon confirmed.

She told the PA news agency: ‘We’ve locked both buildings and just kept the children inside. So we’ve not had them on the field or the playground. It’s not a lockdown as in under the desks or hidden or anything, it’s just a lighter lockdown.

‘We have just kept them within the building as though it were like a wet playday so we don’t cause the children any distress and we keep everything as calm as possible.’

The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is being kept ‘fully updated’ on the killings of the three women who were found in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and has urged anyone with information about the case to contact police.

The Labour MP said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: ‘The loss of three women’s lives in Bushey last night is truly shocking. My thoughts are with the family & friends of those who have been killed & with the community.

‘I am being kept fully updated. I urge people to support (Hertfordshire Police) with any information about this case.’

Earlier today police revealed they were looking for Kyle Clifford following the incident and warned members of the public to call 999 immediately if they saw him.

In a statement released this morning Detective Superintendent Rob Hall from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said: ‘This is an incredibly difficult incident for the victims’ family and we would ask that their privacy is respected as they come to terms with what has happened.

‘Whilst we are still in the early stages of this investigation, we are actively seeking Kyle Clifford who we believe could be in the areas of Hertfordshire or North London.

‘Given the serious nature of the incident, I would ask anyone who knows where he is to contact police immediately. If you believe you see him, please do not approach him and dial 999 straight away. 

‘He may still be in possession of a weapon.

‘Our enquires will continue over the coming days to ascertain the full circumstances of what happened but I would also like to take this opportunity appeal to anyone who was in the area around Ashlyn Close from around lunchtime on Tuesday until 7pm, and believes they may have seen anything that could assist the investigation, to contact us.

‘This incident will of course be of concern to local residents. Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team will be in the area today so please do speak to them if you need to.’

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called around 7pm on Tuesday July 9 to a property in Ashlyn Close in Bushey.

‘Three ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance officer vehicle, the Hazardous Area Response Team, the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance and London Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.

‘Sadly, despite the team’s best efforts, three women were pronounced dead at the scene.’