A father whose three children were found dead in a house in Edinburgh last week has spoken of how he was "paralysed with grief" when he learned of the tragedy.

The bodies of eight-year-old twins Augustino and Gianluca Riggi and their five-year-old sister Cecilia were found in a townhouse on Wednesday August 4 following reports of an explosion.

Their mother Theresa Riggi, 46, was found injured on the ground after apparently jumping from the second floor of the building. She has since been arrested and charged in connection with their deaths.

Pasquale Riggi has spoken touchingly for the first time of how he hoped police had made a mistake and the hope that it was "happening to someone else".

He said: "It's been shocking, I think that is the one word that describes it for not only myself but family and friends. You are shocked, you are paralysed with grief and you are not quite sure what to do next.

"It is bad enought that you lose three beautiful children, Austin, Luke and Cecilia and the tragedy surrounding their deaths just makes it much more painful.

"So you go about trying to grieve and of course you are distracted by all the things that you need to do but I think the most difficuilt part is the reality of it all, it is difficult to take all at once, and so I think that keeps going back and forth, can't believe that has happened.

"It is almost like it is happening to someone else but you know it's you and you keep asking yourself 'Is this me? Is this my family?' Then the realisation hits you that it is.

Mr Riggi and his wife had come to Scotland from California 13 years ago, recently moving to Aberdeen, where he was employed by Shell.

• Riggi father seeks comfort from 'fond memories' of tragic children