Neighbours have described their shock and sadness at the death of an elderly couple in Hainault.

The man, believed to be 74, and woman in her 80s, were found at their home in Greenwood Gardens around 11am yesterday.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she was cleaning her car when the woman’s daughter made the tragic discovery.

She said: “She saw the door was open and came over to ask me to ring the police because something wasn’t right.

“She said she’d been trying to ring her mum since Friday but couldn’t get through.

“They were quite private people. It’s absolutely dreadful.”

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.”

George Purcell, 77, has lived opposite since 1961.

He said he “always got on with” the man, who he had known since his teenage years.

He added: “It’s not the first time people have died in this road but that was of old age.

“I gathered it was him but when I saw there was a second person it was even worse.”

An ambulance was called but the couple were pronounced dead at the scene.

A police spokesman said they were called to reports of “two lifeless bodies found”.

He added: “At this early stage, the deaths are being treated as unexplained.”

The results from a post-mortem are not yet known.

Police continued their investigations and the cordoned-off house today but left around 5pm this afternoon.

National Grid workers were also at the scene.

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