A FORMER Lostwithiel man who survived the IRA's Hyde Park nail bombing in 1982 is believed to have stabbed his two children before committing suicide in a Hampshire lane.

Michael Pedersen, 51, grew up in Lostwithiel where members of his family, including his mother and brother, still live.

He and his horse Sefton became national figures after they survived the notorious nail bombing of a Household Cavalry unit in Hyde Park while on their way to the Changing of the Guard in July 1982.

He left the Army in 1986 and set up a transport company with his second wife Erica, the children's mother.

On Sunday police were called to a lane in Newton Stacey, Hampshire, where Mr Pedersen's body was found along with those of his two children, Ben (7) and Freya (6).

Mr Pedersen and his wife had separated recently and he was living in Chertsey, Surrey, while the children had remained with their mother in Ashford, Surrey.

They had accompanied their father on a weekend visit to his father in Andover and were reported missing by their mother when they failed to return home on Sunday evening.

Police have described Sunday's incident as 'tragic' and say they do not believe anyone else was involved. A Home Office pathologist called to the scene had established that the children had suffered fatal stab wounds and Mr Pedersen then took his own life.

Four fellow soldiers and seven horses died in the 1982 attack while Mr Pedersen was seriously injured. Sefton's injuries included a severed jugular vein, wounded left eye, and 34 wounds over his body. He survived and went on to appear at the Horse of the Year Show, ridden by Mr Pedersen.

The Cornish Times reported in 1982 that Mr Pedersen, the elder son of Mrs K Pedersen, of Lostwithiel, had managed to ring her to let her know he had survived the bomb attack and was about to undergo surgery to his hands.

Lostwithiel mayor Gill Parsons this week expressed sympathy to all members of Mr Pedersen's family.