Gunman driven to edge over fears for children

Raoul Thomas Moat's relationship with his children is certainly at the centre of events, with Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Adamson saying he knew he was concerned for their future well-being.

"For their sake, this has to stop now," he said appealing directly to him. "These are not the memories that your children need to have of their father. Enough people have been hurt. You need to make contact with us now."

Meanwhile the family of his ex-partner Samantha Stobbart, 22, have been warned she might not survive.

Police said both Miss Stobbart and Chris Brown, who was killed, were shot with a "shotgun-type weapon",

Her half-sister Kelly Stobbart, 27, said: "We don't think she'll make it.

"She's been shot in the chest and stomach, her body's been ripped apart. She is on a life-support machine and is critical. The hospital have told us to expect the worst."

Lee Burdis, Miss Stobbart's half brother, said he hoped she would pull through and said he had met Moat quite often during his six year on-off relationship with Miss Stobbart, a trainee hairdresser with a three-year-old daughter, Chanel.

"We were actually quite close," he said, "well, I wouldn't say we had close ties but we saw each other a few times.

"He seemed all right at the time but he was a big lad and he does look quite dangerous and could be quite dangerous.

"He's a big lad and he's got a violent past. I know that for a fact because he's threatened to take me round the back of a car before."