Harrowing final moments of BBC star John Hunt's family before they were killed

The devastating final moments of BBC commentator John Hunt's family before their tragic deaths in a triple murder have been reported, including how they tried to save each other.

Carol Hunt, aged 61, and her daughters Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were discovered dead at home on Tuesday evening, leading to an urgent police search for Kyle Clifford, who was believed to be armed with a crossbow. Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson from Hertfordshire Police said their investigation suggests the family were the victims of a deliberate attack and were acquainted with Clifford.

While many details of the case remain unconfirmed, including the formal identification of the victims and the exact cause of death, emerging information is shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the appalling incident in Hertfordshire, including the terrifying moments leading up to the murder.

READ MORE: Triple murder suspect Kyle Clifford being treated for injuries

READ MORE: Wales rugby star Rhys Webb banned for four years as career effectively ended

Clifford had reportedly been in a relationship with Louise, and the couple had ended their relationship just a week prior to the killings. Louise, a dog groomer by profession, had recently experienced distress following the breakup, which led to her crashing her car into a wooden telegraph pole, resulting in significant damage to the vehicle.

Louise had taken to social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, to express her thoughts on leaving relationships. Her post read: "I admire women who leave, idgaf if you left after the 1st time or the 12th time I admire s***! Idgaf if ppl calling you dumb for 11 years but in the 12th year you decided you was done.", reports the Mirror. It takes A LOT of strength to break a tie. It takes ALOT of self love to choose yo self."

According to The Guardian, it's believed one of the victims managed to ring 999 before the assailant left, alerting the authorities to the horror unfolding. Reports also emerged that one of the victims had messaged her partner in a desperate plea for him to contact the police.

Local residents heard screaming from the family's home around 6.30pm on Tuesday, initially dismissing it as the cries of a child in distress. It wasn't until BBC racing commentator John Hunt, Carolyn's husband and father to Hannah and Louise, came back that the devastating truth came to light.

Mr Hunt is believed to have raised the alarm with police after he found his wife and daughters fatally wounded, having returned from working at the Lingfield Park course. Emergency services and officers arrived on the scene, but were unable to save any of the women.

The attacker had already fled the scene by the time Mr Hunt arrived, and it's believed he left immediately after the assault. He was later spotted on CCTV footage in an alleyway in Hertfordshire.

The video showed the man, dressed entirely in black, walking towards a vehicle with a large object covered in cloth tucked under his right arm. He was also seen carrying a bag which police suspect may have held additional weapons.

Hertfordshire Police identified Clifford as a suspect wanted in relation to the murders, and launched a manhunt to find him. The search, carried out in collaboration with the London Metropolitan Police, lasted several hours, with schools reportedly put on lockdown as officers scoured Hertfordshire and North London.

Clifford was discovered injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery, Enfield. Sky News captured footage of the suspect being loaded onto a stretcher, and he was transported by ambulance to a nearby trauma centre. He was taken to hospital where he currently remains.