Deaths of elderly couple found in Hainault home were ‘not suspicious’

Tributes outside the couples home in Greenwood Gardens. (Image: Archant)

A man, believed to be 74, and woman in her 80s, were found dead in their house in Greenwood Gardens around 11am by the woman’s daughter.

The front door was open.

Temperatures had plummeted several degrees below freezing with strong northerly winds over the weekend.

The deaths were originally treated as “unexplained” by the police, who cordoned off the property while investigating yesterday.

But a spokesman said the incident is not being treated as “a police matter” after a post-mortem found one person died of natural causes.

A coroner will establish the cause of the other person’s death at an inquest. The date has not been announced.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the woman’s daughter discovered the bodies when she visited the house.

She added: “She said she’d been trying to call her mum since Friday to check on her because she had the flu.

“She knew something wasn’t right.”

Residents in the quiet Hainault street described a “quiet” couple who were “always together”.

A 45-year-old woman said she used to talk to the man, who was “nice”.

She added: “I laid flowers down for them. Pink for the lady, blue for the man.

“I just want to know what it is so we can put our minds at ease.”

Neighbour Marion Small said the man had lived in the house with his parents until they passed away.

She added: “I saw him shopping last week when the weather was nice.

“I have been here for 32 years and they’ve been here all that time.

“They were always together, going shopping, coming home. Always.”

The couple have not been publicly named.

If you would like to leave a tribute, email lizzie.dearden@archant.co.uk or call 0208 477 3821.