A British couple were yesterday found dead in their isolated home in south west France following a possible “burglary gone wrong”. A neighbour in the hamlet of Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, found the two bodies early on Thursday afternoon. 

Their identities have not yet been revealed by the French authorities, but the man and woman were in their 60s, and originally from England and Scotland. An investigating source said:”It is feared that it might have been a burglary gone wrong. The house is very isolated, close to thick woods, and it may have been targeted. A neighbour who goes on long walks with the couple discovered the bodies when he called round to see them. He is currently speaking to detectives.”

The couple moved to Les Pesquiès, which is in the Aveyron department, around 10 years ago. It is an area full of British expats, and holiday home owners from the UK, and they were said to be ‘extremely popular.’

The source said: “They had numerous friends locally and further afield including in Britain, and often organised dinner parties. They both loved the countryside, and were very happily settled. They were very proud of their house, which is situated well away from other buildings in the hamlet.”

By Thursday evening, the house and its grounds were cordoned off, and full of forensics officers examining the suspected crime scene.  A helicopter landed in a field nearby, and it contained senior detectives, said another source. 

Drones could also be seen circling overhead, while house-to-house enquiries being carried out by gendarmes.
Local prosecutors have opened a judicial enquiry and are said to have ‘not ruled out any theory.’

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office previously told MailOnline: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the Local Authorities.”