France shooting: What happened in tragic shooting incident where 11-year-old British girl was killed while playing on swings at home?

The family’s neighbour was understood to be in a dispute with them over land situated between their properties

Solaine Thornton, an 11-year-old British girl, was killed while playing outside – and her father seriously injured – in a shooting at her home in France at the weekend.

Here’s what we know about the tragedy.

What happened?

The girl was reportedly shot while she was playing in her garden in Saint-Herbot, a village near the city of Quimper (Photo: Adobe)

Solaine was reportedly playing on a swing with her sister in her garden in in the village of Saint-Herbot, north of Quimper, in northern France, when she was shot through the hedge of the next door property during a family barbecue on Saturday evening.

Her sister Celeste, aged eight, raised the alarm, after her parents, Rachel and Adrian Thornton, were also injured in the attack. Both have been taken to hospital, where Mr Thornton is said to be being treated for serious injuries which could be life-threatening.

A local resident told French media the younger child ran to a neighbour’s house, shouting: "My sister is dead, my sister is dead". She is said to be in shock.

The gunman, who was armed with a hunting rifle, is believed to be their 71-year-old Dutch neighbour, who retired to the hamlet around six years ago. He locked himself in his house after the incident, but was later arrested, along with his wife.

According to information from local prosecutors, initial evidence suggests the pensioner "suddenly emerged armed with a gun and fired several times towards the victims".

Is there any possible motive for the attack?

Local officials have said they “knew the family well” and described the shooting as “incomprehensible”. It is understood there was a dispute with the neighbour, who locals described as reclusive, over land between the two properties.

The Thornton family is believed to have lived in the village for a number of years and both girls are said to have been born in France.

Marguerite Bleuzen, the mayor of Plonévez-du-Faou commune, said: "We knew the family well. There is a village fête every year and they always came.

"They are not a family who caused problems. Perhaps there was a dispute with the neighbour, I don't know about that. But it is incomprehensible to have shot a child. No-one can understand how that could have happened."

Regine Guillot, the secretary of the Plonevez-du-Faou town hall, said the village "is in shock".

"There were neighbourhood issues, yes, a hedge, a field, but nothing more than that, not that we were aware of," Mr Guillot said.

Reports said one neighbour believed the dispute began when the Thornton family cut back some trees and hedges. Sébastien and Marie-Céline, who live in the same building as the suspected gunman, described him as a "very distant" man who had made previous threats.

They told French media: "Three years ago, he made a big deal to Adrien and Rachel about the clearing they had done, which prevented him from feeling at home.

"He had already threatened with a weapon, the gendarmes had intervened. From that day on we kept a low profile."

A spokeswoman for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are providing consular assistance to a British family following a shooting in France and are in contact with the local authorities."