A ‘mother and son’ who both died after an incident at their Rochdale home have been named locally.
The man in his 60s was discovered dead at the scene at their property in Foxholes Road yesterday (December 27), while the woman in her 80s later died in hospital, police have confirmed. They are understood to be mother and son
They have now been named locally as Teresa and Steven Needham. The Manchester Evening News understands they may have been killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.
Residents were left in shock as emergency services swarmed their quiet neighbourhood. One local resident told the Manchester Evening News: “It’s incredibly sad.”
Another shared: “Especially around Christmas time, we were just filled with dread when we saw all the police arrive.” While one neighbour added: “They were nice people, kept themselves to themselves.”
According to one neighbour, the scene was flooded with fire engines, police cars, ambulances, and gas workers from Cadent.
This was followed by the arrival of forensic teams in white suits, another neighbour reported. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) stated that they were first alerted to the situation due to a call expressing concern for the welfare of the occupants.
While there are currently no suspicious circumstances surrounding the two deaths, investigations are ongoing. It is understood that the property’s gas supply is part of the ongoing investigation, with neighbouring properties having their gas supplies checked and confirmed as safe.
A spokesman for Cadent said: “I can confirm that Cadent engineers attended a property in Foxholes Road last night in support a multi-agency response. We now know that two people have died and, on behalf of everyone at Cadent, I offer our sincere condolences to their family and friends.
Emergency services and Cadent engineers at the scene
(Image: Snapchat)
“As the region’s gas emergency service, it is routine in an incident of this nature for Cadent to be asked to check everything associated with gas is safe. We did this and left about 45 minutes after our arrival at the address.
“The cause of death will be investigated by other agencies. If anyone ever smells gas, or suspects the presence of carbon monoxide, act immediately and call the gas emergency service on 0800 111 999. All calls are recorded and may be monitored.”
There have been reports of a loud bang heard in the area, but there is confusion as others claim the noise was caused by police forcing entry into the property.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police revealed to the M. E.N. details of the tragic incident in Rochdale: “At around 5.10pm on Friday 27 December 2024, we were called to reports of a concern for welfare on Foxholes Road in Rochdale.
“Sadly, a man in his 60s was found dead at the scene and a woman in her 80s later died in hospital.
“There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding their deaths. Investigations are ongoing.”