Couple die in 'suicide pact'

Police have named an elderly couple who died in an apparent suicide pact at their home.

Officers say 88-year-old George Purves, a retired anaesthetist, and his wife Barbara, 83, were found in their home in Sunderland on 19 October.

It is understood the couple were found in each others' arms, inside one large polythene refuse bag on a bed.

Tests are being carried out to establish the exact cause of their deaths.

It is believed medical equipment was also found at the house in the city's Roker Park Road.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Coroner informed

The spokesman said they were alerted by a home help who could not gain access to the couple's £275,000 home.

He added: "We can confirm we attended an address in Roker Park Road, Sunderland, on Monday where we found the bodies of an 83-year-old woman and an 88-year-old man.

"There are no suspicious circumstances and the coroner has been informed."

Neighbour Mary Taylor said the couple had two sons and a daughter who had long since grown up and left home but she did not know whether they still lived locally.

Mrs Taylor described the two as a "very nice couple" and said Mr Purves used to work at the Sunderland Royal Hospital.

'Seemed devoted'

The street where they were found is occupied largely by well-off retired people and many were surprised to see six police cars pull up outside the home on Monday, she said.

The couple were regulars at The New Derby, a local pub which they would visit two or three times a week for a drink or a meal.

Manager Jez Fuggle, 35, said: "They seemed a very nice couple, very pleasant, and they seemed devoted to each other. I believe they have been married more than 50 years."

He described Mr Purves as a "very nice, pleasant, intelligent, well spoken sort of decent human being". He said other regulars were "very very shocked".

He added: "I am very shocked and on behalf of people in the pub would like to pass on our condolences to the family."