A man believed to have murdered his wife and daughter before killing himself in Shropshire has been described by a friend as a "lovely, mild-mannered man" who appeared to have "acted like he was out of his mind".

Flower salesman Hugh McFall, 48, is thought to have killed his wife Susan, 55, and 18-year-old Francesca at the family home in Oswestry, Shropshire.

Police discovered the women's bodies at 5am on Friday after they were called to the Hampton Road address. A few hours later a man's body, believed to be Mr McFall, was found at an industrial lock-up a short drive away in the village of St Martins.

Craig Jones, a mechanic who works in the unit next door, said Mr McFall used the address as a base for his business, selling flowers to local supermarkets. He said police kicked down the door to the property, which Mr McFall had been renting for a month, shortly before 9am.

West Mercia Police have not yet disclosed how the family died or given details of the circumstances surrounding the deaths, but confirmed that they are not looking for anyone else after the discovery of the third body.

Neighbours in the peaceful and affluent road where the McFalls lived for more than 10 years described them as an "ordinary family".

Next door neighbour James Bond said he had been good friends with Mr McFall and believed something must have happened to make him "flip".

The 51-year-old said: "It is literally stunning news. I cannot believe it, it hits you right between the eyes.

"Something has happened that has made him flip. He was a lovely, mild-mannered man.

"He was friendly and rational and would help out at a moment's notice, he was a good friend. It is ludicrous, this is so out of character, he has acted like he was out of his mind."

Mr Bond said police knocked on his door early and broke the news that Mrs McFall and her daughter had been killed, telling him they were "desperate to find the husband".

"We told them he had a lock-up in St Martins, which is where they found him," Mr Bond said.

West Mercia Police said the cause of death for all three deceased would be ascertained by a Home Office pathologist "over the next few days".

Forensic officers and uniformed police remained at the family home and the industrial unit all day and the short stretch of Hampton Road remains cordoned off.

Mrs McFall is believed to have worked part-time as a cashier in a local bank whilst Francesca, known to her friends and family as Frankie, was studying A-levels in the 6th form at Oswestry School, an independent school close to the family home.

Mrs McFall had another daughter and a son from a previous marriage.