Children blamed for suicide attempt

Paramedics were called before a letter got to the paper

An elderly couple who publicised their double suicide pact by writing a letter to a newspaper were today recovering in hospital after taking overdoses of pills.

William and Edith Wardle, who are in their 70s, sent letters to the Manchester Evening News, their son and the police saying they could no longer tolerate the noise from local children.

Emergency services were called to the house in Wythenshawe two hours before the letters arrived at their destinations.

The couple were found to have taken overdoses of tablets.

Garden invaded

The letter to the newspaper said: "The cause of death of my wife and myself has been the anti-social behaviour of our neighbours' children and their friends, the total lack of consideration of their parents as to the distress they have caused."

The couple said the noise of shouting and screaming, balls hitting their windows, the damage to their bushes and the invasion of their garden had led them to decide to commit suicide.

Our thoughts are with the couple and their family at this terrible time

Greater Manchester Police spokesperson

An ambulance crew found the pair at their home on Haughton Road at 0800 BST on Wednesday after someone called emergency services - two hours before the letters arrived at the intended destinations.

They had taken overdoses of pills.

A spokesperson for Wythenshawe Hospital, where they are being treated, said Mr Wardle was in a "comfortable" condition and Mrs Wardle was "stable".

Days previously they had reported the theft of hanging baskets to police.

A few months earlier they had also told police of an attempt to break into their shed.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said officers had tried to "mediate" between the children's parents and the couple to find a solution to their problem.

The force said in a statement: "We would firstly like to say that our thoughts are with the couple and their family at this terrible time.

Parents visited

"We are aware that they have made complaints about some local children and the amount of noise created by them playing in Haughton Road.

"Indeed we have been called out twice in response to complaints about noise.

"The local area officer has attended Haughton Road on a number of occasions to speak to both the complainant and the parents of local children and to try to mediate between the two groups.

"Officers have given advice to the children, the parents, and the complainant about the need for tolerance and consideration of others."

There was not a lot police could do about the noise, the spokesman said.

"Kids playing in the street is not a crime."