Chilling footage has emerged of alleged crossbow killer Kyle Clifford leaving the north London home where three women died.

The CCTV clip from a neighbouring home shows a man emerging from an alleyway that leads to the home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, of BBC commentator John Hunt, his 61-year-old wife Carol and their adult daughters Louise and Hannah.

The man, who is clad in black, is seen carrying a cloth-covered object underneath his arm and a bag. The covered object is believed to an almost-metre-long crossbow.

The footage shows the man climbing into a vehicle and driving away.

“You can see clearly from the outline of what is under the sheet that it is in the shape of a crossbow – but it’s massive,” a source told Britain’s Sun newspaper on Wednesday (local time).

“When we first heard the weapon was involved no one thought it might be that big – it makes you wonder where he got it from.”

John Hunt found his wife and daughters – 28-year-old Hannah and Louise, 25 – severely injured in the family home when he returned from work late on Tuesday. He called emergency services, including air ambulances, but the three women died at the scene.

It sparked a mammoth manhunt for 26-year-old Clifford – who is believed to be Louise Hunt’s ex-boyfriend.

He was arrested hours later in a cemetery near his home in the Enfield area of north London, more than 50 kilometres from where the Hunts lived.

It also emerged on Wednesday (British time) that Louise Hunt had shared a tweet about domestic violence shortly before her death. It praised “women who leave” and have “strength”.

“I admire women who leave. idgaf if you left after the 1st time or the 12th time I admire that s–t! idgaf if ppl was calling you dümb for 11 years but in the 12th year you decided you was done,” it said.

“it takes ALOT of strength to break a tie. it takes ALOT of self love to choose yo self,” the re-shared message added.

Neighbours have told British media that Louise Hunt was visibly distressed by the recent end of her relationship, and it had even resulted in a car accident.

“Louise was a very nice girl. She ran a dog grooming business from the house,” neighbour Glyn Nicholas told MailOnline.

“I heard that she split from a boyfriend last week and was very upset about it. So much so that she was driving home at some point last week and drove into a wooden telegraph pole not far from the house.”

Tributes for Hunt family

Police have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the triple killings.

“This continues to be an incredibly difficult time for the victims’ family and we would ask that their privacy is respected as they come to terms with what has happened,” Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins said.

Clifford was stretchered out of the cemetery and taken to hospital with unspecified injuries after his arrest. Jenkins said the police investigation was moving “at pace”.

John Hunt has worked for the BBC for two decades and is the main racing commentator for BBC 5 Live, the broadcaster’s main news and sports radio station.

His 5 Live presenter colleague Mark Chapman was clearly emotional later on Wednesday as he sent his “love and thoughts” after a “heartbreaking day”.

“John Hunt is our colleague and our friend, not just to the current 5 Live sport team but to all of those who have worked here with him over the past 20 years and also to all of you who have enjoyed his superb commentaries,” Chapman said through tears ahead of the Euro 2024 pre-match show on Wednesday.

A woman named only as Luisa told the BBC she had been a client of Louise Hunt’s dog grooming business, Groom and Glow, for three years.

“I hope they are remembered as wonderful, hardworking, kind women, rather than victims,” she said.

In a note to staff, the BBC said the incident was “utterly devastating” and that it would provide Hunt “with all the support we can”.

-with AAP