FOREST TOWN: Neighbours say old couple ‘vanished’ at body find home

The elderly couple moved into the house on Blenheim Close, Forest Town, in around 1987 and lived at the address for around eight years.

It is understood that they moved to Forest Town from the London area, and had told neighbours that they planned to move to Morecambe.

One Blenheim Close resident, who asked not to be named, said she had seen the couple regularly walking past her house on a daily shopping trip to Mansfield.

She said: “Every day they would walk past at around 2pm and come back at around 4pm, regular as clockwork.

“Then for a long time it was only the man and I wondered if the lady was ill, or if something had happened. Then one day the house was empty and up for sale. It was empty for quite a long time before new people moved in.”

The resident said that after the couple disappeared, two younger people were coming to the property to maintain the garden for a period of time before the house was re-sold.

When new occupants moved in, it is understood that a significant quantity of the elderly couple’s possessions were still inside.

Police arrived at the address two days ago and the remains of two people, who have yet to be formally identified, were unearthed in the back garden of a house.

Police today confirmed that the remains have been there for some time and a Home Office post-mortem examination to establish cause of death is due to take place today.

It is not yet known whether the remains are those of the older couple who previously lived at the address.

Police scene of crime officers, who have been working at the location, have erected a tent in the back garden of the property, and officers are stationed outside the address.

Local residents have spoken of their shock at the news.

Carol Aram, from Blenheim Close, told the Chad: “If I’d known they were in difficulty I would have tried to help or support them.

“I’m really shocked - to think that something like that happened so nearby is very upsetting.”

Andrew Bembridge (24), from nearby Acacia Court, said: “It’s a real shock. You don’t expect something like this to happen around here.

Kelly Turner (20) lives on neighbouring Farrendale Close and can see the crime scene from her upstairs windows.

She said: “An elderly couple used to live there but I didn’t know them. This is just mad.”

PICTURED: Police standing guard outside the Blenheim Close house where two bodies have been discovered in the back garden.