The family were visiting Sri Lanka over the Easter holiday. The names of the children have not been made public.

Povlsen owns the international clothing chain Bestseller and is also the biggest single shareholder in clothing giant Asos and is the UK's largest private landowner, according to the Times newspaper.

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"Unfortunately, we can confirm the reports," a Bestseller spokesman said in an email. "We ask you to respect the privacy of the family and we therefore have no further comments."

Three days before the attacks Povlsen's daughter Alma shared an Instagram photo of her siblings Astrid, Agnes and Alfred - calling them "three little bears" - in front of a swimming pool lined by palm trees.

Povlsen and his wife Anne have not said which of their three children died in the attack.

Eight coordinated explosions triggered by suicide bombers targeted Easter worshippers and high end hotels popular with international guests.

The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa as the Easter Sunday mass were in progress.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.

The death toll in the Sri Lanka attacks is now at 290, following a series of blasts at churches and luxury hotels during Easter Sunday. Police have arrested 24 people, but no-one has claimed responsibility.

The vast majority of those killed are thought to be Sri Lankan nationals, including many Christians who died at Easter services.

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