THE father killed when a gunman opened fire on a British family in the French Alps is believed to be a company secretary in Swindon.

The man has been named by French media as Saad al-Hilli,of Claygate, near Esher in Surrey.

Company records show that he is company secretary for an aerial photography firm, based at the Delta Office Park, in Welton Road.

The attack happened at 4pm yesterday afternoon. A man and two women - believed to be the girls' mother, father and an older relative - were in the British-registered BMW, which was riddled with bullets.

All three were killed along with a cyclist who was found near the scene.

A seven-year-old girl is currently in a coma fighting for her life after being found near the car and a four-year-old girl was found alive underneath the bodies of her family around eight hours after the massacre.

Police said that Mr al-Hilli was behind the wheel at the time of the attack.

Prosecutors in France have refused to confirm his name but revealed that he was 50 years old, was originally from Iraq and held British citizenship.

Another British cyclist, a former member of the RAF, who stumbled upon the shocking scene and spotted the seven-year-old lying in the road, placed her in the recovery position.

Police said the motive for the attack remained a mystery but revealed there were signs of a vehicle braking at the scene.