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Brighton families' disgust at 'stench of death'

11:24am Friday 9th May 2008

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Residents claim they are being forced to live with the stench of death after a corpse was found in their council flats - and no one cleaned up after it.

Barry Williams found the remains of the man, who is thought to have died from cancer and to have been aged about 40, on Sunday afternoon.

After noticing a bad smell in the area he climbed up a ladder to peer into the man's window and spotted the corpse sat bolt upright on the sofa.

He called the police who came and removed the body from the flats in Highway Close, Brighton, at about 6pm.

He had been there for about six weeks and a large number of flies were in the property.

But Mr Williams and his neighbours say the home has still not been cleaned and that the "overwhelming" smell of the corpse still lingers heavily both inside and outside the flats which are home to a number of children.

He said: "We are being forced to live with the stench of death because nobody has come to clean it up.

"All they've done is open the windows to give it an airing.

But it needs far more than that.

"This guy was rotting on the sofa."

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, added: "It is absolutely disgusting. My kids play around here and they're doing it with this smell of a dead bloke hanging in the air.

"It's bad enough for me and the other people here to put up with, let alone having the kids exposed to that sort of thing."

It is not the first time Mr Williams has found a corpse in the block of flats.

On Christmas Day 2006 he discovered an old man in the flat above him had died and was decomposing.

He said: "I'd warned social services that he needed some extra care because he was struggling.

"Again I could smell it and the police broke the door down and found him.

"That time it took the council a week to clear it up. We're having to go through the same thing again, not knowing when they're going to come and help us. It's a nightmare."

Sussex Police said a post mortem examination of the man's remains was to be carried out. A report is being prepared for the coroner.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council was not available for comment.

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Your Say YourThe Argus

slightly worried, says...
11:33am Fri 9 May 08

It is not the first time Mr Williams has found a corpse in the block of flats.


His neighbours must be wondering who's body he's going to 'find' next...

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melfromhove, hove says...
11:35am Fri 9 May 08

Another tragic sign of our time. A man is known to be suffering from cancer, but not missed for 6 weeks!!! So many people these days seem to have absolutely nobody. Not so long ago, the story would have been of the neighbours expressing regret that they had not offered help, now they just moan about the stink.

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Health & Safety, Officer says...
11:35am Fri 9 May 08

Clean it up? Goodness, don't you realize what needs to be done first! A Health and Safety officer needs to send a report and assess whether to send a Health and Safety Officer needs to attend to write a report to assess what needs to be done. This will then need to be assessed before.....yada yada...

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Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
11:36am Fri 9 May 08

It says everything about the area that residents only take an interest in their suffering neighbours six weeks after death.

If Mr Williams had shown some concern for this unfortunate cancer victim during his last days, then the current situation would have been averted, no "stench of death" (whatever that means).

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Terry, Brighton says...
11:41am Fri 9 May 08

About the old man:
I'd warned social services that he needed some extra care because he was struggling


So that's 6 weeks the 40 year old lay there and long enough for the old man to start 'decomposing'.

What kind of people live in these flats that they can ignore their neighbours so much that they are left to die and rot. In fact it seems the only time they are of a concern is when they start to rot and 'disturb' the area with their decaying smell!

Please tell me where this is so we can all avoid living near this selfish and uncaring community!

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bobby bigballs, Brighton says...
11:54am Fri 9 May 08

If its bothering them that much why not clean it up themselves, the windows are open so get in and throw some disinfectant around - stop moaning and get on with it. People these days want everything done for them.

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!!!, Brightin says...
11:56am Fri 9 May 08

If this story is 100% true, and I'm not trying to say it isn't, then it quite clearly demonstrates that we live in a society that does not give a toss, until it effects those in direct connection with it. Appalling situation, but we are all to blame for the despicable way in which it is ending. I feel quite ashamed.

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Dave, Wivelsfield says...
11:59am Fri 9 May 08

I can understand those of you making comments about the level of care, neighbourliness and the delays etc. What I can't understand is why there is concern about a smell. I agree it is unpleasant as is knowing that it has been caused (yet again) by a corpse however it is not likely to actually harm anyone. The Council should have much better response times and should consider other residents, however what if this had been a privately owned block of flats with an absent landlord or worse still Nick van Hoogy. If Mr Williams decides to move I hope he chooses not to live near me, secondly I hope he gets a few healthier neighbours the poor chap seems blighted.

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John, Cyberspace` says...
12:29pm Fri 9 May 08

"It is not the first time Mr Williams has found a corpse in the block of flats."
everyone needs a hobby.

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BIG "ARRY, brighton says...
12:37pm Fri 9 May 08

Whats wiv the "Nick Van Hoogy" Dave? I fink the main man, needs to pay you a vist, for a little talk!

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Dave, Wivelsfield says...
1:21pm Fri 9 May 08

BIG "ARRY wrote:
Whats wiv the "Nick Van Hoogy" Dave? I fink the main man, needs to pay you a vist, for a little talk!
Send him round for a cuppa anytime, he ain't seen my old dutch. He's only a Kitten.

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The Team, The Office says...
1:48pm Fri 9 May 08

Dave wrote:
BIG "ARRY wrote: Whats wiv the "Nick Van Hoogy" Dave? I fink the main man, needs to pay you a vist, for a little talk!
Send him round for a cuppa anytime, he ain't seen my old dutch. He's only a Kitten.
If you need Dave's number its 020 7515 1212, he's working nights this week, just hope he doesn't mind me giving this out.

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Major Blyth-Smith, 3rd Foot and Mouth, says...
3:06pm Fri 9 May 08

Death as far as i'm aware doesn't smell, decomposing bodies on the other hand do.

Shows the people in the area in rather a bad light, and also must make them wonder "who's next" in light on Mr Williams past history

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Me, says...
3:10pm Fri 9 May 08

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, added: "It is absolutely disgusting. My kids play around here and they're doing it with this smell of a dead bloke hanging in the air


classy


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Dufus, Hove says...
3:34pm Fri 9 May 08

The Council are waiting for Tesco or Parkridge to put in a planning application to knock the block down and build a shopping 'centre'.... they won't need to bother cleaning up then.

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jay, brighton says...
4:36pm Fri 9 May 08

John wrote:
"It is not the first time Mr Williams has found a corpse in the block of flats."
everyone needs a hobby.
genius :D


The community is clearly fecked,were a city of selfish,stench moaning corpse dodgers.

Try and get to know your neighbours! especially if they seem a bit lonely,it doesnt take long,and will make us feel better,with the extra karma points as an added bonus!

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Sue, Hove says...
5:14pm Fri 9 May 08

Death is not disgusting? How many of his neighbours visited him while he was dying? How sad he died alone yet all the neighbours complain about is the council. Why don't they clean it up themselves? Why don't they try to get to know their neighbours before it happens again. What a selfish group of neighbours. They could arrange a collection and pay to get it cleaned as a sign of respect for their negligence.

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Kendal mintcake, Space says...
11:54pm Sat 10 May 08

I don't see what the fuss is about. Most council flats smell of a rotten stench anyway due to the idol so and so's that inhabit them. These people are largely pathetic individuals who have never had the ability to look after themselves and stand up on their own two feet, instead of watching Richard and judy allday.

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Comments are closed on this article.

Barry Williams, who found the body in a flat in Highway Close, Brighton Barry Williams, who found the body in a flat in Highway Close, Brighton

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