BBC racing commentator John Hunt has told friends that every message of support “feels like a hug” following the deaths of his wife and two daughters in a crossbow attack, a colleague has said.

Matt Chapman, an ITV commentator, said Mr Hunt was “very thankful that people are thinking about” him and his third daughter, Amy, following the attack in their Hertfordshire home earlier this month.

His wife Carol Hunt, 61, and two of their daughters, Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were found fatally injured at the house in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, on July 9.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Chapman said Mr Hunt had told him that “every message that’s been sent, every one of those messages feels like a hug”.

Flowers under the road sign for Ashlyn Close
Three people were found fatally injured at a house in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, on July 9 (Jonathan Brady/PA)

“As far as what’s happened, it’s still beyond belief that this could happen to anyone, a family in the world,” Mr Chapman said. “The message from all of us is when you need us [John], we are here.”

A GoFundMe page set up to support Mr Hunt and Amy has passed its target of £100,000, which Mr Chapman said “shows from the horror of this event, we have seen the other side of human nature – it just reminds us there’s goodness out there in the world”.

Kyle Clifford, 26, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of murder after he was found with injuries in the Hilly Fields area of Enfield, north London, on July 11.

Hertfordshire Police said he remains in hospital under arrest and continues to receive treatment, but that officers have not yet been able to interview him due to his condition.

In a previous statement, Mr Hunt and Amy said: “The devastation that we are experiencing cannot be put into words.

“We would like to thank people for their kind messages and for the support we have received in recent days. These have provided great comfort to us for which we are very grateful.

“As you can imagine, this is an extremely difficult time for us, and we need time and space to come to terms with what has happened and start the grieving process.”