Police have issued an update after investigating the death of a man outside a Salford church. Officers were called out to the Church of St John the Baptist on Vicarage Road, in Irlam, at around 8.40am on Monday (December 30).
A man in his 50s was found dead outside the church. A forensic tent was seen outside a doorway at the back of the church, while officers taped off the church yard throughout the day.
In an update issued this morning (December 31), Greater Manchester Police confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious. Officers had been carrying out enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the death.
A coronial investigation is now likely to take place. Flowers were left at the scene by the vicar following the tragedy on Monday morning.
Flowers left at the scene
(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a large emergency services presence at around 10am. Police confirmed they were called out to concerns for a person’s welfare.
A neighbour told the Manchester Evening News: “I was just taking my dog out when they all arrived. She reacts to every sound, but we didn’t hear any disturbance at all then or last night. It’s a quiet area.”
The church yard was taped off
(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Another said: “It’s really strange. It’s such a lovely area and so quiet. All you get round here are dog walkers. We sleep at the front of the house with the window open – and I was up at 4 in the night. We didn’t hear a thing – no commotion or shouts at all.”
A GMP spokesman said on Monday: “At approximately 8.20am this morning, we were called to reports of a concern for welfare on Vicarage Road in Irlam, Salford. Emergency services attended the scene but despite the best efforts of emergency workers, a man in his 50s was sadly pronounced dead. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”