A family from Claygate who were shot dead in the French Alps more than two years ago, were today found to have been unlawfully killed.

Saad Al-Hilli, 50, of Oaken Lane, Claygate, his wife Iqbal, 47, and her mother, Suhalia Al-Allaf, 74, were shot dead in their car while on a camping holiday near Lake Annency, in the French Alps on September 5, 2012.

Mr Al-Hilli's older brother, Zaid, 54, of Bray Court, North Parade, Chessington, was arrested in July 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, but was released without charge in January this year.

Today, November 10, he gave evidence at the inquest in their deaths.

He said his brother liked to go on camping holidays and he and his family were known to go to France often.

Mr Al-Hilli said he and his brother had also visited the area a few times in their youth.

Coroner Richard Travers asked if he was aware the family were away on at the time of their deaths, Mr Al-Hilli replied no, but said the fact they were on a caravaning holiday would have come as no surprise.

Mr Al-Hilli said the first he knew of the deaths was on September 6.

Doctor Robert Chapman, a consultant forensic pathologist, conducted the postmortem examination of all three bodies.

He said Mr Al-Hilli received four gun shot wounds to the head and torso, Mrs Al-Hilli received four to the neck and chest and Mrs Al-Allaf received three.

He added each death would have "occurred rapidly".

The two Al-Hilli children, both former pupils of Claygate Primary School, survived the attack.

Zainab, then seven, was shot and pistol whipped by the gunman, and Zeena, then four, escaped unharmed after she hid beneath her dead mother’s skirt.

A French cyclist, Sylvain Mollier, 45, was also shot dead in the attack, which happened close to the village of Chevaline.

Delivering his verdict, Mr Travers said it was "beyond no doubt" that Mr Al-Hilli, his wife and mother-in-law were unlawfully killed while on holiday.

He said: "These deaths were deeply shocking not only to people in the UK and France but for people of the whole world."

He concluded by offering his sympathies to their family and also the family of Mr Mollier.