Girl may have waved to killer

Nine-year-old Josephine Russell, who survived a hammer attack which left her mother and sister dead, may have waved to their killer minutes before he launched his frenzied assault, detectives say.

Police interviewing the girl about the murders in Chillenden, Kent, yesterday said she saw the man attack her mother, Lin, after he confronted them on a footpath. She has told police that a computerised image of a man seen near the scene looks "very similar" to the man who attacked her. A police spokesman said had a very strong reaction to the picture, and was obviously frightened.

Josephine, her mother and her six-year-old sister Megan were bludgeoned as they walked from Goodnestone school to their home in Chillenden on 9 July. Police are hoping that in interviews today she will be able to tell them when her sister and the family pet dog were also attacked.

Police have maintained a 24-hour guard on the Russell home since Josephine came out of hospital last month.