Briton held in France over deaths of two children
- Published
The children were found dead on the balcony of the flat in Lyon
A British man has been arrested in France in connection with the deaths of his two children, according to French media reports.
The bodies of the girl, aged five, and her brother, 10, were found on Saturday afternoon in a flat in Saint-Priest, a Lyon suburb, AFP news agency said.
Both had reportedly been killed with a knife. Prosecutors in France say the man has confessed, AFP said.
The Foreign Office said it understood a British national had been arrested.
The children's mother had left them alone with their father, apparently for the first time since their divorce a couple of years ago, said BBC correspondent Hugh Schofield.
According to witnesses, the mother had passed the suspect on the stairs and his clothes were covered in blood, our correspondent added.
She is reported to have asked a neighbour to call the police.
The unnamed man fled but was arrested later in the evening in the centre of Lyon, our correspondent added.
The British man is understood to have been unemployed.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in touch with the French authorities and await the outcome of their investigation. We stand ready to provide consular assistance."