Man's body found by police lay undiscovered in Doncaster flat for three weeks, say neighbours

Police and ambulance crews were called to the flat in Edlington last month and made the grim discovery after breaking into the property.

The man has not been formally identified, but has been named locally as Richard Hannan.

It is thought he was in his ‘late 60s or early 70s,’ with one neighbour describing him as ‘a loner’ and a ‘very private person’ but also a ‘very kind man’ who provided impromptu taxi services for people in the area.

Emergency services were called to his flat above the Costcutter store in Edlington Lane on September 26.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “This was a non-suspicious death and we won’t be providing any more details.”

A spokesman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: “We attended a private address in the Edlington area on 26 September following a concern for welfare call.”

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “It's a very sad story.

"He used to taxi people about day or night when they had no alternative.

"He was a very kind man. Its very sad a person passed away and was not discovered for three weeks.

“He had taken me to hospital appointments and other residents of Edlington would phone him day or night and he would always drive out to collect them and drive them home or take them where they needed to be.

"He didn't taxi for a living he was retired, and he only accepted the petrol money, he didn't do it for profit.

"He moved to Edlington about ten years ago and he'd lived all over the country.

"He was a very private person, a loner. I'm not aware that he had any family, but apparently he has or had a brother, who the police are trying to find.

"He was a very intelligent man, knowledgeable on many many things, and excellent on quizzes. But he didn't really socialise.”

Anyone who may have details which can help, can contact South Yorkshire Police on 101.