According to BBC racing commentator John Hunt, his family's anguish following the deaths of his wife Carol and daughters Hannah and Louise "cannot be put into words."

Mr. Hunt and Amy, his surviving daughter, expressed their gratitude for the community's support in a statement made public on Saturday morning, but they added that "the devastation that we are experiencing cannot be put into words."

A little more than four days after his wife, 61, and his daughters, 25, and 28 years old, perished in their Bushey, Herts, home following a crossbow attack, Mr. Hunt announced that he and Amy were going through "an extremely difficult time." On Tuesday night, Carol, Hannah, and Louise passed away.

"We would like to thank people for their kind messages and for the support we have received in recent days," the statement issued by the Hertfordshire Police stated. We are really appreciative of these since they have given us a great deal of comfort.

“As you can imagine, this is an extremely difficult time for us and we need time and space to come to terms with what has happened and start the grieving process.”

Kyle Clifford, from Enfield, north London, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of murder after being found with a wound to his chest at a cemetery close to his home on Wednesday afternoon. Police said Clifford, a former soldier and security guard, remains in a serious condition in hospital.

On Friday evening, more than 200 mourners paid their respects to the victims at a church service.

The pews of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St John the Evangelist Church, in Bushey High Street, were full for the vigil for Mrs Hunt and her daughters. Alex Klein, Hannah’s partner, was seen being comforted by attendees.

Father Jim McNicholas thanked friends and relatives of the Hunt family for coming to the “wonderful expression of communal love and caring”.

He said: “It is a good example to remember that no matter how dark things are, no matter how evil or bad, the light of love always displaces that darkness.”

The parish priest said that people with “goodness” in their life were “hostage to those whose lives are not”, adding: “The Hunt family have had to pay the terrible price for someone whose life and choices were not.”

Mr Klein had earlier posted a picture of himself and Hannah on Instagram, with the message: “RIP the love of my life, I will never forget you, stolen from me too soon. The brightest light in my life. My brave queen for life. Until we meet again... I love you Hansy.”

Shabbat prayers were also said for the Hunt family at Bushey Synagogue. Elchonon Feldman, the senior rabbi, said the local Jewish community was “in a state of shock and mourning at the brutal attack and murder of three innocent Bushey residents”.

He added: “It will certainly take time to comprehend that such a tragedy took place in our midst, but in the first instance we stand together in sorrow and prayer with all family and friends who are grieving at this time of immense loss.”

Flowers continued to be left at the scene of the murders in Ashlyn Close, with notes bearing messages attached to some of the bouquets.