Rochdale elderly couple found dead at home after police received urgent call

Police tape

Rochdale elderly couple found together dead at home after police received urgent welfare call

PA
Holly Bishop

By Holly Bishop


Published: 22/02/2024

- 09:57

Updated: 22/02/2024

- 11:23

Officers were responding to a concerned neighbour who rang up about the pair

Two elderly people have been found dead in their house in Rochdale, Greater Manchester after police had to force their way in to the property

Officers were responding to a call from a worried neighbour from a property at The Woods, near Castleton Moor.


A huge emergency response team, including forensics, fire crews and paramedics descended on the cul-de-sac to tend to the double tragedy, where a 74-year-old man and 75-year-old woman were found dead.

Officials from a gas company were also called.

An aerial view over Rochdale

The pair were living in Rochdale, Greater Manchester

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A crime scene remains in place.

The cause of their death has not yet been confirmed, pending a Home Office post-mortem examination.

Investigations remained ongoing at the scene throughout the night, with forensics in white suits seen entering the property.

One shocked resident said: “We don’t really know the family but they’re an elderly couple. A really nice couple. It’s just two of them.

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"I just moved here a year ago and it’s really weird to see that on your doorstep."

“It’s an elderly couple who live there and I don’t get to see them that often, we just wave when we’re going out," another told Manchester Evening News.

Another added: “All I know is that I came home and saw lots of police. I know that a couple live there and I know that they’re elderly. I don’t know what happened but it looks pretty serious.”

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: "On Wednesday 21 February 2024, at around 2pm, officers were called to a concern for the welfare of an elderly man and woman at a property on The Woods, Rochdale.

Greater Manchester Police have apologised to Malkinson

Greater Manchester Police attended to the tragedy

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"Emergency services attended the scene and sadly, a 74-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman were pronounced deceased at the scene.

"Their loved ones have since been informed. A scene remains in place at the property while officers conduct further enquiries," the spokesperson told The Mirror.

An investigation conducted by Greater Manchester Police is ongoing and files will be passed to the coroner.

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