Cleaners find decomposed body in Blackpool house - weeks after woman is rescued from inside

Environmental health workers discovered the man’s body on Thursday afternoon, after neighbours reported a foul smell coming from the semi-detached home, in Renwick Avenue, South Shore.

Police have yet to formally identify the body, but it is understood a 58-year-old woman had lived at the house with her son. Neighbours said they had not seen the son since his mum was taken into hospital earlier this month.

Officers have not yet confirmed how or when the man, in his 30s, died, as it is believed the body had lain undiscovered in the bathroom for some time. However, they do not believe his death to be suspicious, and are now preparing a file for the coroner.

In a statement, Lancashire Police said: “At 1pm on October 5 we were called to an address on Renwick Avenue following reports of concern for the safety of a woman.

“A 58-year-old woman was removed from the address by the fire service and taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital due to ill health.

“On October 28, Environmental Health attended the address and found the body of a man inside the address which was badly decomposed.

“Enquiries are on-going to formally identify the body. The death is not being treated as suspicious.”

Neighbours said today they had heard the woman who lived there calling for help from an upstairs window on Wednesday, October 5, and alerted the emergency services.

Firefighters attended and she was taken to hospital and later the Arc, a rehabilitation centre in Marton.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “As she came out, she said she had not seen her son for two weeks and had not been out that room since June.

“There was just rubbish from floor to ceiling. The smell was absolutely disgusting.”

Another neighbour complained to the council after spotting maggots coming from the £60,000 house, and said the stench became so unbearable in the weeks after the woman was hospitalised that she couldn’t open her windows.

A town hall spokeswoman said workers decided to clear the house on Thursday after being told it ‘was in a poor condition with a large amount of waste inside’.

But when they arrived, they found the bathroom blocked and firefighters were called in again. Crews used tools to get inside the room at around 3pm, when the body was found.

Forensic experts in white suits were seen going in and out of the house, before the body was taken away in a private ambulance at around 8pm on Thursday.

One neighbour said they had little contact with the occupants of the house, adding: “The man never spoke to anybody. We saw him pottering about. He would take his mum out in her wheelchair but nobody had seen her in a year.”

Another added: “They kept themselves to themselves. The man would only come out to get deliveries.”