Why were they left to die? Social services ignored pleas to help frail pensioners Jean and Derek Randall. A month later they were found dead

By ANDREW LEVY and ANDY DOLAN

Tragic: The couple were discovered when police broke into their house in Northampton, on Thursday. It is feared they could have been dead for five days

Old, frail and struggling with the bitter weather, it was obvious that Jean and Derek Randall's lives were at risk.

As Mr Randall's health failed and he accepted he could no longer look after his wheelchair-bound wife, a neighbour and the couple's MP contacted social services, the NHS and even Age Concern in the search for a care home place.

But, despite weeks of phone calls, no help was provided.

Last Thursday a concerned neighbour looked through the couple's letterbox and spotted 76-year-old Mr Randall lying dead in the hallway.

Police forced their way into the 'freezing cold' bungalow and found Mrs Randall, 79, dead in her bed with a small heater on.

Mr Randall probably passed away first. His wife then died because there was no one to feed her or bring her drinks.

Last night a neighbour declared: 'I believe they died because everyone who is supposed to care for the elderly in our society did not do it. Everyone passed the buck.'

The couple, who would have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in March, may have been dead for five days.

The appalling case in Kingsthorpe, a suburb of Northampton, highlights the pitiful conditions millions of pensioners have to put up with - an issue highlighted by the Daily Mail's Dignity for the Elderly campaign.

Mr Randall, a shy man, first approached a neighbour for help on November 30. The first calls to different agencies went in on December 1 and were repeatedly followed up.

In all, at least 15 calls were made by neighbours. On December 21, neighbour Heather Footitt feared there was a danger that the couple could die and told local Labour MP Sally Keeble. She, too, demanded action but nothing was done.

Last night Northampton North MP Mrs Keeble called for an inquiry and said she had written to Health Secretary Andy Burnham about the tragedy after revealing her pleas for the couple to receive support had fallen on deaf ears.


source: dailymail