The horrific murder has rocked the community in Buckhaven and mourners have laid tributes and flowers at the gates to the cottage on Methilhaven Road.

A family friend, a girl who did not want to be named, said yesterday: “Ryan had a leaving party at school on Friday as the family planned to leave for London. We can’t believe it.”

She added: “Ryan and Michelle’s brother Ross stayed with me over the weekend, but he hasn’t said a word about what happened. He is still in shock.

“He didn’t even want to visit his mum because of the state he was in.

“I didn’t know the father well because of the hours he worked. But I knew the rest of the family really well – Michelle was an absolute angel, a lovely girl.”

The victims’ mother June Thomson, well-known in the area as a spiritualist, was still being comforted by relatives last night.

The couple’s eldest son Shaun travelled back to the Fife area from his home in Essex as soon as he heard about the tragedy. Fife Police yesterday said a 49-year-old man has been detained in connection with the murders.

Detective Superintendent Alastair McKeen said: “Both Michelle and Ryan suffered a particularly violent death and the scene was harrowing.

“We are heartened by the community’s response and personal information was provided allowing other avenues of inquiry to be explored.”

He stressed that the man’s detention was “some way short of arrest” and that nobody had been charged yet in connection with the crimes.

Officers were said to be continuing to build up a “general picture” of Michelle and Ryan’s movements on Saturday before they were found, but he declined to go into detail.

The investigation team were “keeping an open mind” but Supt McKeen added: “I can confirm there are no specific lines of inquiry in relation to other individuals at this stage that are being prioritised.”