"vicious" assault
The bodies of Avtar and Carole Kolar were found at their home West Midland Police

A £10,000 reward has been offered for information on the murder of a Birmingham couple.

Avtar Kolar, 62, and wife of 40 years Carole, 58, were found dead at their home in Handsworth Wood.

The couple, who were the victims of a "vicious" assault, were discovered by their son Jason, a detective constable for West Midlands police, who was worried after members of the family were unable to contact them.

The couple had four children and eight grandchildren. Daughter Michelle Kirwan, 39, and son Avtar Kolar, 32, made an emotional plea for justice, in which they begged for help in catching their parents' killers.

"My mum and dad were the sweetest, kindest people that I have ever met and would do anything for anyone. They were the beautiful parents of myself, Jason, Taz and Marie, sons and daughter-in laws and the precious Nanna and granddad of eight grandchildren, who adored them with all their hearts, Michelle said.

"Whoever has done this has not taken just two lives, but a further 16. Our hearts are broken forever and our lives will never be the same.

"We are all struggling to come to terms with this tragedy. We are all hurting so much inside because they were so special. Not only to us, but to everyone who ever met them."

She also said that her mother helped out at a local school, where the children knew her as "Nanny Cal" and followed her around "like the Pied Piper".

Det Supt Richard Baker, leading the murder investigation, thanked Crimestoppers for offering the reward and said that information from the local community could be the "key" to finding the killer.

The couple's connection with the force is considered a viable line of inquiry, but police have no evidence that this had anything to do with the murders.

Post-mortem examinations are due to take place on the couple, while forensic investigations are set to continue for several days due to the "complex" nature of the crime scene.

"This is a vile crime where two people have been murdered and their family and community have been left in shock," said Crimestoppers regional manager Pauline Hadley.