Woodmancote shooting: Twin of mother killed with daughters describes ‘idyllic childhood’ around Chichester

Kelly Fitzgibbons, 40, was shot at close range in March 2020 alongside her two daughters Ava, 4, and Lexi, 2, by 42-year-old builder Robert Needham, partner to Kelly and father to the two girls, who then turned the gun on himself, an inquest heard today.

Emma Ambler, Kelly’s twin sister, described her sister as an ‘amazing sister’ who was ‘fiercely loyal’ adding that she was ‘one in a million’.

She said: “We had an idyllic and very happy childhood growing up. We used to spend hours playing together. We both liked acting and singing our hearts out.

“We had some great years and lovely memories with lots of laughter.”

“[Kelly was a] regular in pubs around Chichester and in Thursday’s nightclub and always had a great sense of humour.”

The inquest heard how the pair went to Funtington Primary School before Kelly started at Bourne Community College where she had ‘lots of friends and was always very popular’.

Miss Ambler also paid tribute to her nieces Ava, who she described as “beautiful and angelic”, and Lexi, who was “cheeky” and had the “signature Fitzgibbons curly hair”.

Tributes to the family on behalf of Needham’s family were also read out, calling Ms Fitzgibbons the “heart of the family”, sharing their love for Ava and Lexi, and describing what happened as a “diabolical tragedy”.

The inquest continues.