Police 'failed to find dead woman'

Neighbours of the woman in Paignton voiced concerns

Devon and Cornwall Police have been criticised after a dead woman lay undiscovered in her Paignton home for several weeks.

Neighbours said they phoned police three times with their concerns, before officers eventually entered the house and found Elizabeth Clark's body.

But police said they only received two calls, and the first was to inform them that the woman had gone away.

Her body was found earlier this week at her home in Black Haven Close in Paignton.

"Brushed over"

Neighbours said they first called police at the beginning of January concerned that they had not seen Mrs Clark, who was in her late 80s, for some time.

A police officer who came to the house concluded that Mrs Clark was away and that there was no need to force entry.

Neighbours said they called twice more before police eventually discovered Mrs Clark in her bedroom.

And one neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said the police could have done more.

"I feel that maybe mistakes may have been made, things may have been overlooked last time they came round," she said.

"I think it was brushed over as 'everything's fine' and it obviously wasn't."

But police said that they had no powers to force entry unless there was evidence of anything "untoward".