Was Reeva's skull crushed with bloodied cricket bat 'found' at Blade Runner's House? Horrific new claims about model's death

Athlete's best friend claims Pistorius called him moments after shooting
Reeva Steenkamp, 29, had been dating Oscar Pistorious since November
She was shot dead on Valentine’s Day at his gated mansion in South Africa
'There is no hatred in our hearts' says model's father Barry Steenkamp
Speculation surrounding model's relationship with South African rugby star
Pistorius tried to save blood-soaked Reeva with kiss of life after shooting

A bloodied cricket bat has been found at the home of Blade Runner, local sources say.

Police are working on theories that the bat could have been used by Oscar Pistorius to attack Reeva Steenkamp before shooting her dead, to break down the door of the bathroom where she was hiding, or even by the late model to defend herself, reported City Press in South Africa.

It was also claimed that investigation sources said Miss Steenkamp's skull had been crushed.

Meanwhile his best friend has told how he received a phone call moments after Reeva Steenkamp had been shot dead and a distraught Pistorius later crying ‘My baba, I’ve killed my baba. God take me away.’

Before the Paralympic medallist called the emergency services he phoned Justin Divaris, 27, at 3.55am to tell him what had happened.

‘I said to him, “What are you talking about?” He then repeated himself – “There has been a terrible accident, I shot Reeva”,’ he told the Sunday People.

By the time the businessman had rushed to the athlete's luxury Pretoria home it had already been sealed off by police, but Mr Divaris described seeing the model 'covered in blankets and towels'.

Members of both families have spoken out today as Pistorius’s father Henke 59, said he had ‘zero doubt’ the fatal shooting was a mistake saying his son had ‘acted on instinct’.

The father of the South African model allegedly murdered by Oscar Pistorius spoke movingly yesterday of his family’s grief – and said he bore the athlete no animosity.

In an emotional interview with The Mail on Sunday, Barry Steenkamp said he was struggling ‘to find some reason why this happened to our lovely daughter’.

Pistorius broke down in tears in court when he was formally charged with Reeva Steenkamp’s premeditated murder and Mr Steenkamp said: ‘He must be going through things that we don’t know about. There is no hatred in our hearts.’

The athlete's father Henke Pistorius told the Sunday Telegraph a sportsman's 'instinct' was behind the tragedy, and said the family has pledged to do whatever it takes to clear Oscar's name.

Further details of the events at Pistorius’ Pretoria mansion in the early hours of Valentine’s Day have come to light as is was unveiled that he tried to give Miss Steenkamp the kiss of life.

After Oscar Pistorius carried his girlfriend’s blood-soaked body from the bathroom where she was shot, he tried to revive her, sources close to the investigation told the Sun.

‘There was a great deal of blood and they were convinced Reeva was still alive at that point when Pistorius was giving her the kiss of life, but she died soon after,’ a South African source said last night.

Pistorius was allegedly trying to save her with the kiss of life when a security guard and neighbour arrived following the noise of the gunshots, before she died in his arms moments later.

Scroll down for video

Speculation: Reeva Steenkamp is understood to have dated rugby star Francois Hougaard in the past

Yesterday speculation about whether Ms Steenkamp's relationship with a playboy rugby player could have been behind a possible row which may have led to her tragic death.

South African reports have linked the 29-year-old to Springbok Francois Hougaard - a close friend of Pistorius - according to the Sunday Mirror.

The 24-year-old failed to turn out for a scheduled match with his side the Vodacom Bulls in the days after Ms Steenkamp's death.

The pair, who have been friends for a number of years and were in regular contact via Twitter, are understood to have dated in the past.

Among those to comment on the speculation surrounding their relationship on Twitter were Nelson Mandela's personal assistant, whose reference to 'rumours about a rugby player alleged to be involved somehow' was later retweeted by South African journalist Barry Bateman to his 18,000 strong Twitter following.

Tragic: Mr Steenkamp, a horse trainer, wept as he said he and his wife June were at 'a complete loss'

Ms Steenkamp had been dating Pistorius, a double-amputee known as the Blade Runner, since November.

It has been reported she was hit four times by bullets fired through the door of a bathroom. Pistorius, 26, a keen marksman, owned a pistol and machine gun.

Sources told how he carried his dying girlfriend from the bathroom, her blood splattering the staircase, as he desperately tried to revive her.

The pair had been called South Africa’s ‘golden couple’, and the arrest of Pistorius – who in London last year became the first man to compete at both an Olympics and Paralympics – was met with disbelief.

Blade Runner: Pistorius ran in both the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics last year

Speaking for the first time since the death of his law graduate daughter, Mr Steenkamp, a horse trainer, wept as he said he and his wife June were at ‘a complete loss’.

He said: ‘This is a very difficult time for us. June is inconsolable. We just need to find some answers. We ask the Lord every day to help us find a reason why this should happen to Reeva. She was the most beautiful, kind girl in the world. She had love for everyone, and she was loved by everyone who knew her.’

Mr Steenkamp said he had never met Pistorius but his wife occasionally spoke to him on the phone.
On the day of the killing, Ms Steenkamp had been due to give a talk to high school pupils ‘to empower them to be confident’.

Her father said: ‘That’s what she was like, always wanting to help others.’

'God take me away': Pistorius wept in court in Pretoria at his bail hearing following the death of Steenkamp

Former girlfriends of the Paralympian have publicly suggested he has a dark side.

One, 26-year-old student Samantha Taylor, said he is ‘certainly not what people think he is’.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that Ms Taylor has been warned to expect a subpoena, forcing her to give evidence at Pistorius’s trial.

Ms Steenkamp appeared on a TV programme, Tropika Island of Treasure, in South Africa last night, which sees celebrities paired with contestants competing for a cash prize.

Executive producer Samantha Moon claimed the programme had the backing of Reeva’s family. She said: ‘This is how they want to remember her.’

Reeva’s funeral will be on Tuesday, the same day Pistorius is due in court where it is understood lawyers will say the shooting was a tragic accident.