No-one who knew a sub-postmaster’s son gunned down as he tried to defend his family will be untouched by his murder, a church leader said today.

As 100 villagers gathered at St Mark’s Church in Fairfield, Worcestershire, to remember Craig Hodson-Walker, the Archdeacon of Dudley said the community was seeking to grapple with what had happened.

Mr Hodson-Walker, 29, was shot in the chest at his family’s post office in the village on Friday morning. His father Ken, 56, was shot in the leg during the raid at Fairfield Post Office and Stores.

Today mourners from the village attended a packed church service, along with Mr Hodson-Walker’s brother James, 27, his fiancee Lisa Bundy, 26, and mother Judy, 56.

Addressing the congregation, the Venerable Fred Trethewey said: “No one who has known Craig and his family can be untouched by what has happened and gatherings like this are one of the ways in which the community draws strength and offers mutual support.”

He added: “In distressful situations like those in which we find ourselves today, it is not unnatural for us to find hard questions forming in our minds. It sometimes takes a few days to emerge, but it would be unusual if no-one started to ask why.

“Why has God allowed this to happen? Why should a young life with so much potential be taken away in an instant? Why do good people suffer?

“This is not a moment to offer answers. This is a time for questions like these to come to the surface and be held before God in our prayers as we seek to grapple with the enormity of what has happened in this village.”

After today’s 45-minute service, Mr Hodson-Walker’s brother, mother and fiancee - flanked by two police family liaison officers - read tributes attached to flowers that were laid outside the family’s post office.

They emerged from the church crying as they walked over the road to the scene of the raid. After spending five minutes reading the messages, they were escorted to a nearby house by officers, who then removed the notes for them to read in private.

West Mercia Constabulary currently have more than 100 officers investigating the shooting of Mr Hodson-Walker, who had recently become engaged.

The Post Office has offered a reward of £50,000 to catch the gang of men responsible.

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