Charity contacted before pair died

Age Concern admitted it had been contacted about a couple later found dead
12 April 2012

Age Concern has admitted it had been phoned by a worried neighbour of an elderly couple found dead in their freezing home.

The bodies of Jean and Derek Randall were discovered at their bungalow in Northampton last Thursday.

A post-mortem examination into their deaths revealed both died of natural causes, Northamptonshire Police said on Wednesday.

It is believed the reclusive couple may have been dead for several days before police broke into their home on Birch Barn Way.

Their neighbour, Heather Footitt, said she made repeated calls for help to Age Concern but her pleas fell on deaf ears because she was not a relative.

The charity said it did not have a record of the 73-year-old retired kitchen assistant phoning its national helpline on December 21 as she has claimed.

But it did have a log of Mrs Footitt phoning its local helpline that same day.

Liam Condron, of Age Concern Northamptonshire, said: "This matter has been urgently investigated."

The charity added Mr Randall phoned for advice about care homes before December 21. He was given information and offered further help but there was "no indication" he and his wife were in distress.

But Mrs Footitt dismissed the charity's claims as a "cover-up". She said she had to supply Age Concern with Mr Randall's contact details as it did not have them and he could not find the charity's number, but even then the charity did not ring him.

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