How could pensioner die this sad and lonely death? (PICTURES)
ARTHUR Colclough died alone in a rubbish-strewn council bungalow with no heating or light.
No-one knows how long his body lay undiscovered, but the pensioner had not been seen for several weeks.
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Arthur Coclough’s bungalow on Tomlinson Street, Longport
His death came just 11 months after his next door neighbour, Terence Whatmore, passed away in similar circumstances.
After Mr Whatmore died, North Staffordshire coroner Ian Smith called for measures to be taken to make sure others were not left to die in the same way.
Mr Smith asked: "How do we, as a society, make sure the Terence Whatmores of this world do not die as a result of an inability or failure to make contact with people?"
Both men were in their late 70s and living alone in council accommodation in Tomlinson Street, Longport, near Burslem.
Mr Colclough's landlord, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, has said it could not help the pensioner because he did not ask for assistance.
But traumatised residents in the tiny street claim they tried to get help for Mr Colclough because it was clear that he could not look after himself.
Now they want to know why their pleas were ignored.
Mr Colclough was discovered at his council bungalow on Tuesday morning when police forced their way in.
Early indications suggest his body may have lain undiscovered for several weeks inside the property, which had no heating, lighting or hot water.
Alarmed neighbours say they asked Stoke-on-Trent City Council's social services department to help Mr Colclough twice during the past 12 months.
When police entered his home, they reportedly found him lying in the hearth of his living room fireplace, surrounded by discarded rubbish and sacks of rotting refuse.
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We received calls at about 10.25am on Tuesday from a person living in Tomlinson Street who raised concerns because they had not seen their neighbour for some time. We forced entry to the property, where we found the body of a male, thought to be in his late 70s."
Arthur Coclough’s neighbours, David and Barbara Penkethman
Neighbour David Penkethman, aged 68, said: "Arthur never had any electricity or gas, because he refused to put money in the meter. He would come to us asking us to boil kettles and cook him meals, and we even put money on his meter, but we are just pensioners ourselves.
"Someone should have stepped in and taken over for Arthur's own protection."
MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, Joan Walley, is backing residents' calls for an inquiry.
North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention campaigner Ian Syme, said: "There are procedures which can be activated to place vulnerable people into care to protect them from themselves, but it seems these people have been left to their deaths."
The Sentinel approached the city council with questions about Mr Colclough's death.
But 24 hours after the request, the authority released a 50-word statement from city council's portfolio holder for adult social care and health, councillor Jean Bowers.
It said: "We are very sorry to hear of Mr Colclough's death and we offer our sympathy. Mr Colclough did not request and was not receiving any care services from the council. The council has no record of contact in recent weeks from neighbours to raise concerns about Mr Colclough."
The council refused to comment further on the case.
14 Comments
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by Lorraine, Alsager
Monday, December 29 2008, 12:57PM
“I was asking the same questions this time last year. My Uncle a loner lived away from home and only spoke to us periodically. He lived as a tenant in a farm bungalow and the picture featured was identical to his place, surely the landlords have some responsibility, especially to pensioners. In this day and age it should not happen!”
by BARRY, West Mid
Saturday, December 20 2008, 11:03AM
“Isn't it time we started looking after ourselves for a change,years ago we did not have social services,no nanny state, that people are always complaining about,we cant have it both ways.We should look after our own,and not leave it to the local authority.If this poor man wasn't seen for a number of weeks,alarm bells should have rang a lot quicker than they did.It is the fault of us all,and not the fault of some particular group.”
by Sandra, Staffordshire
Friday, December 19 2008, 10:34AM
“How very sad to hear that someone can die like that in this day and age. I knew Arthur many many years ago when he was my brothers best friend. R.I.P Arthur your pain is over now”
by Tracy, Stoke on trent
Thursday, December 18 2008, 8:47PM
“These days the big problem with establishments such as local authorities / police is that they are run by a government who force management to operate in a "modern" fashion which means they have no choice but to keep officers tied to desks in order to produce "top mark" stats rather than do a "top mark" job.”
by CHRISTINE, STOKE-ON-TRENT
Thursday, December 18 2008, 7:15PM
“If an adult is of sound mind and chooses to live this way then nothing can be done. It is a very sad way for a persons life to end this way, but do we want social services to be able to force people to live in a way that is deemed 'proper' even if it is against that individuals wish. We are talking about an adult who lives alone, who probably wanted to maintain his privacy and dignity. Do we force him to give this up?”
by Sean, Bradwell
Thursday, December 18 2008, 6:12PM
“what a sad, sad, story, Certainly, we don't know what sort of help was asked of the council.. i.e. someone ringing up saying.. i'm a bit worried about so and so as he has no electrictiy.. to someone saying I haven't seen so and so for weeks...I think he is dead... So depending on how urgent the calls sounded would dictate the councils response. If any..
It is easy to lay the blame soley with them, especially after recent stories.. however, the council cannot check up every pensioner in the borough... asking them to do so is unrealastic of the services they can supply.
As already stated, we need to be more nosey and when someone doesn't have hot water, lighting or electricity.. social services is the first place to call... rather than perhaps rining the councils main switchboard! Again, we don't know what sort of help was requested...
With the obvious lack of facts in this story.. I would say non of us are in a position to lay the blame soley ... with everyone.. all we can say is society as a whole has let this person down.
I totally feel for this gentleman and hope some lessons can be learnt from his tragic death.
Rest in peace.”
by Phil, Hanley
Thursday, December 18 2008, 5:38PM
“As Warren says: Its not hard to do, just care.”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Thursday, December 18 2008, 2:45PM
“Sorry my mistake, I take it back, so its all the falt of the council. Jean Bowers, hang your head in shame, maybe your records are incompleat, maybe its time to start doing what you and your department are payed a large amount of money to do, care. Yes the public have a part to play in this, but in this case it seems like they were trying to do there bit, its the folks who are payed to sort it out that failed. Its not hard to do, just care, keep an eye on folks and follow up any conserns that others show.”
by David, Stoke
Thursday, December 18 2008, 2:18PM
“Warren
Didn't you read this bit?
"Alarmed neighbours say they asked Stoke-on-Trent City Council's social services department to help Mr Colclough twice during the past 12 months."
Seems neighbours did try...”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Thursday, December 18 2008, 2:13PM
“This story is a daming enditement of of the city council, Social Services and indeed our society in genrel. Not wanting to be to hash with the Penkethmans, but did they not think to inform anyone of what the gentelman was doing to himself, I know I would have with no fear it all. Its all right boiling the kettel for him, cooking him a meal, putting money in his meters, when all said and done he needed help, sorry if this upsets anyone but it needs to be said. If he was to stuben to ask for help, some oldens are, then its upto someone to see that and report it. Maybe it would be nice if the bin men, posties, folks who would have to go to the house sometimes just took notice of what was going on. The coucil know how meny OAPs are within Stoke on Trent, maybe a look in on them now and again would not go a miss. Look who ownd the bungalow he lived in, the council, thats were the blame sould lie, council ran social services. shame on them. Everyone reading this take note, its the season of goodwill, keep a eye on your local OAPs, one just might need a hand, becouse it dont look like the council are that bothered.”