Man's body found in Stafford Street

An elderly man has been found dead at his Stafford bungalow, sparking a police investigation.

The man, named locally as Bill Smith, aged in his 80s, was found dead at his home on Crab Lane, Trinity Fields, close to The Lucky Penny pub, yesterday morning.

After the initial arrival of an ambulance at around 10am yesterday, police squad cars and forensic crews pulled up at the scene and one remained there overnight.

Staffordshire Police today confirmed that inquiries are continuing and that the death is still being treated as 'unexplained'.

At least four police forensic vans were at the scene by mid-morning.

Neighbours believe Mr Smith, who lived alone, may have been dead for around six days before he was discovered.

An elderly lady living directly next to him reportedly contacted authorities yesterday about a strong smell of gas in her home.

It is believed that Mr Smith, a widower of more than a decade, was discovered after the gas inspectors tried to enter his neighbouring bungalow to investigate whether it was the source of any leak.

He was today described by his neighbours as a friendly but private man who was happy to help others and had a love of walking.

One retired woman, aged in her 80s, said: "He was old, but he didn't act like a really old man. I know he was a keen walker and must have had friends he walked with. We just knew him as a friendly man who kept to his own business.

"I'm not sure what he did for a living, none of us really know anything about him. All of us along this road are fairly elderly and so we keep to ourselves, but he was always friendly when we saw him.

"His neighbour could smell gas, and if the gas men hadn't tried to get into his house I guess they'd have never found him. The police won't tell us what's happening but they've been in there for quite a while."

Another said: "He just kept himself to himself. I don't think he had a lot of family in Stafford but he had nieces and nephews he was in touch with."

Staffordshire Police spokeswoman Faye Casey confirmed that the death is under investigation. "We can confirm that the body of a man, believed to be in his 80s, was discovered in a property on Crab Lane," she said. "Our inquiries into this death are ongoing and we are currently treating this death as unexplained."