Prince William 'Saddened' By Kenya Ranch Murder

Prince William is 'saddened' to learn a retired army officer who helped run a game reserve where the Duke proposed to Kate Middleton, has been murdered during a robbery.

Lieutenant Colonel David Parkinson, 58, was killed after a gang of five robbers, armed with machetes and a gun, broke into his house in Kenya.

During the confrontation, Lt Col Parkinson's hand was cut off and he was fatally wounded, police said.

His wife Sonja, who had sustained a cut on her back, managed to untie herself and escape to a storeroom where she hid until the robbers fled.

On returning to the main house she found the body of her husband on the floor, police said.

The raid happened at the couple's Lolldaiga Hills cattle ranch in the town of Nanyuki in the early hours of Sunday.

Lt Col Parkinson, who had a distinguished career in the Army for 30 years, worked as the ranch manager since 2008.

Before that he was a director of the nearby Lewa Wildlife Conservancy where the Prince spent his gap year helping with various conservation projects before taking up his place at St Andrews University.

It was also where the Duke proposed to Kate Middleton in 2010.

A spokesman for the Prince said he was saddened to learn of the death of Lt Cpl Parkinson, who he had met at the game reserve.

Local police chief Marius Tum said the intruders entered the couple’s bedroom by breaking a glass door using a large stone.

The robbers reportedly stole items including a laptop, phone, some ornaments, bottles of wine and £2.

"One of the gang members was armed with a pistol, another with a machete while the rest had crude weapons. While one of them was terrorising Mr Parkinson the others tied his wife's hands with ropes," Mr Tum said.

He said a post-mortem examination would be carried out but it was likely that Lt Col Parkinson bled to death from a deep cut on his left bicep.

On Sunday afternoon, a suspect from a nearby village was arrested after police mounted a major manhunt using sniffer dogs.

The Foreign Office confirmed the death of Lt Col Parkinson.

"We are aware of his death and we stand ready to provide consular assistance to his family at this sad time," a spokesman said.