Second body found after 'burglary'

Feb 22 2012

A second body has been found by police investigating the murder of an elderly woman apparently killed during a burglary.

Detectives in Merseyside have launched a murder inquiry and arrested a man following the discovery of the body of a woman at a house in Lonsdale Road, Southport, on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: "As a result of further inquiries, a second body has been recovered at an address in Birch Street, Southport.

"At this time, the cause of death has yet to be established and Home Office post-mortems will be carried out later."

The first victim has been named in the Liverpool Echo as Margaret Biddolph. It is understood she had lived in the house in Lonsdale Road for 36 years.

Officers found her body after they attended the house in Lonsdale Road at 5.20pm on Tuesday.

Merseyside Police said both the victims are believed to be women in their 80s, although formal identification is yet to take place.

A 43-year-old man from Southport has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and will be further interviewed in connection with the inquiry.

Police said they believe the initial incident might have been a "burglary gone wrong".

The force's major incident team is leading the investigation and house-to-house inquiries are under way. Both scenes remain sealed for forensic examination.