Police have arrested a 17-year-old schoolboy for allegedly hacking his entire family to death with an axe as they lay in their beds.

The teenager, named only as Alexander K, is accused of carrying out the horrific crimes at the family home in the city of Tambov in western Russia’s Tambov Oblast region.

His father Victor, 43, his sister Victoria, 14, and his grandmother Vera, 67, were all found murdered in their blood-soaked beds with multiple wounds caused by an axe.

Suspected killer Alexander K, pictured right with his identity hidden, with his father Victor

The teenager accused of killing his family is said to have joined an extremist religious group

The teenager is alleged to have hacked his family members to death in their beds

Victor, 43, and his daughter Victoria, 14, are said to have been butchered by Alexander K

Police say the boy's relationship with his family had become strained following the death of his mother from cancer three years ago and that he did not get on with his father's new girlfriend.

But they said the final straw appeared to be when the family refused his request to borrow 200,000 RUB (£2,788) from them.

Neighbours said that Alexander appeared to have suffered from depression following the death of his mother.

He had stopped spending time with his friends and had even reportedly joined a non-conformist and extremist religious group.

Victor with his late wife, who died of cancer three years ago allegedly prompting Alexander's demise

Victor and his daughter Victoria, who were both slaughtered in the suspected axe attack

The house in the Russian city of Tambov in the Tambov Oblast region where the murders took place

The mobile phones of the victims were hidden by the killer - suspected to be Alexander K

Police are continuing to question Alexander, who remains in custody.

He is expected to be charged with murder.

The police investigation continues as it emerged the mobile phones of the victims appeared to have been hidden by the killer.