Relative of body find OAP traced

Isabella Purves, who owned the flat, would have been 90 this year

A relative of a woman whose body lay in her Edinburgh flat for up to five years has been traced by police.

The BBC Scotland news website understands that the elderly man, who lives in Edinburgh, is a second cousin of Isabella Purves.

Her body was found in her Rodney Street flat on 30 June as police investigated a water leak.

Officers carried out an extensive search for relatives of Ms Purves, who would have been 90 this year.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that officers have identified an individual from the Edinburgh area who is believed to be the closest surviving relative of Isabella Purves."

The discovery of her body shocked people living in the area.

Police had to push past a large volume of mail to enter the flat in the Cannonmills area.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.