Mum cradles dying girl, 11, after France shooting by recluse neighbour

13 June 2023 , 18:18

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Little Solaine Thornton was playing on the swing with her sister when she was gunned down (Image: Facebook)

The mum of slain schoolgirl Solaine Thornton was heard wailing at the top of her lungs after their drugged-up neighbour opened fire while she played on the swings with her sister.

Reclusive Dirk Raats, originally from Belgium, shot the youngster dead and left her parents Adrian, 52, and Rachael 49,with serious injuries in hospital.

The Thorntons and the OAP had been embroiled in a neighbourly dispute for years, over noise and trimming some hedges and bushes.

The man, described as a recluse by locals, is thought to have snapped after puffing cannabis and drinking booze.

Neighbour and family friend Pierre Leroy, recalled the moment he heard Solaine's eight-year-old sister Celeste screaming.

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Little Solaine Thornton was gunned down while enjoying a barbecue with her family (Facebook)

Her parents Rachael and Adrian sustained serious injuries and are now in hospital (Facebook)

"Celeste had dodged a bullet and ran for her life up here," he told The Telegraph.

"They’ve killed my sister and the man shot my dad’. We went straight over there and the girl was dead and the mother was cradling her in her arms and screaming.

"Adrian was shouting as well – injured but conscious – but the mother understood it was too late for her daughter. There were no words, just screams."

The younger sister has been sedated after suffering severe shock. She is, however, aware that her life has completely changed with her sister dead and her dad fighting for his life.

Raats is originally from Antwerp in Belgium (Nicholas Razzell)

Gun-brandishing Raats stormed outside his home in Saint-Herbot, Brittany before setting his sights on the family, who were enjoying a barbecue at the time.

He let off up to four shots with his Winchester .22 calibre rifle and a revolver.

After testing positive for "drugs" on Saturday, moustachioed and ponytailed Raats - who has been described as looking like a character from the Asterix comic book - said: "It’s so horrible what happened. I don't understand."

Earlier today, The Mirror approached his wife Marlene Van Hook for comment, but she angrily shouted "Leave me in peace" and "No comment".

Marlene Van Hook, 69, the wife of suspected child killer Dirk Raats, wailed to "leave her in peace" as she was approached by The Mirror (Daily Mirror)

She was arrested on Saturday night alongside her husband after the brutal shooting of schoolgirl Solaine Thornton, 11.

Concerned villagers fear the Thornton family may now never return to their idyllic home after the horror shooting.

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A friend and neighbour in the small town told The Mirror how villagers were already rallying around for little Celeste.

Floral tributes to the Thornton family in Saint Herbot (Charlie Varley/varleypix.com)

The friend, who did not want to be named but has known the family since 2019, said: “They have spent so much time working on that house, it is absurd someone trying to make their house look better could trigger someone to such a degree that he would try and kill them and tragic they may never want to go back there again.”

They added: “Everybody is heartbroken, most people have kids, it hits home more because kids should be able to play in their gardens without fear of getting shot.

“The parents in the village have been rallying round trying to work out what it is we can do tell him from here.

A forensic officer at the crime scene (jeanmarcmorandini.com)

“It's so safe here, maybe like Britain was 40 or 50 years ago, you don't worry that people pop next door to talk to neighbours.

“Our little girl is three and she runs about freely and goes to see the neighbours, playing outdoors on her own.

“The parents in the village have been rallying round trying to work out what it is we can do tell him from here.

“When they do get out of hospital they are going to need help in so many ways and we are going to be here to offer it, especially for the little one (Celeste) who is going to be traumatised for a very long time."

Ryan Fahey