Did dad kill his son & himself after losing custody fight? FATHER HANGED.. BOY, 6, DEAD IN HOUSE BLAZE.

Byline: BY RICHARD SMITH

A DISTRAUGHT dad found hanged yesterday is feared to have killed his six-year-old boy by torching their home.

Hours before the tragedy Christopher Townsend, 51, had left a bitter court battle with his estranged wife for custody of son Charlie. He told friends: "It's not good - the system stinks."

Early yesterday, flames engulfed his pounds 320,000 semi.

Fire crews rescued Charlie from an upstairs room. But he died on the way to hospital. The body of Casualty TV set designer Christopher was found hanged in the next door garage.

Last night investigators were trying to discover if he deliberately started the blaze suspecting he would not get permanent custody of his son - or if it was a tragic accident.

Wife Paula, 39 - who has a 10-year-old son from a previous relationship - sobbed with grief outside the wrecked home.

She said: "I was divorcing my husband.

He was unhinged.

"I've just spent the whole day with Charlie's body. I've given him his favourite toys, his teddy and birthday present. He was a lovely little boy - we are grieving."

Christopher and Paula, who wed eight years ago, lived half a mile apart in Long Ashton, outside Bristol. Charlie normally lived with Paula but stayed with his dad on Wednesday nights.

On Wednesday morning Christopher attended a custody hearing.

His mother Rita, of Richmond, Surrey, said: "The case has taken so much out of him.

"Christopher felt very strongly about the unfair treatment of fathers in custody battles.

"Throughout the case everything seemed to be going against him. I was concerned he wasn't coping." Paula's tearful mum Ann Hey said: "This is devastating. Charlie was brilliant." Friends told how Christopher turned up at his local pub, the Bird in Hand, after the custody hearing.

Nigel Blake, 42, said: "Although he was under a lot of stress the only way this could not be an accident is if he snapped. It wouldn't surprise me after all these years of turmoil.

"He was a lovely guy and a doting dad. But he thought the system had let him down."

Pub owner Sue We stcott added: "I think Christopher was driven over the edge."

Police said: "We have an open mind about the cause of the fire."

CAPTION(S):

INQUIRY Police outside tragic blaze home yesterday; GRIM Window smashed by fire crew to rescue Charlie; DISTRAUGHT Paula's mum Ann