Woman's body left undetected in flat 'for weeks'

A woman's body lay undiscovered in her sheltered accommodation for weeks despite reports of a smell a fortnight before, according to residents.

The woman, in her 70s, was found in her flat at Gatensbury Place, run by Red Kite Community Housing, in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire.

The housing association said the report of odour was initially "not thought to be anything unusual", but a "welfare check" later found the woman's body.

Thames Valley Police said officers were called to the flat at 14:51 BST on 21 August.

Her family have been informed and the death is not being treated as suspicious.

Residents and those who knew the woman have raised concerns about how long her body remained undetected, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Red Kite said one of its staff received a report about the odour on about 4 August, but would not confirm the exact date.

The property does not have on-site staff or wardens but receives regular management visits.

One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said the cleaner was ignored when she reported the smell to one of the site's volunteer "community champions".

The tenant said: "[The cleaner] said, ‘I have been complaining for five weeks’, because she was so angry.

"It has really traumatised quite a lot of the elderly women who live there."

Julie Gamble-Kempe, Red Kite's head of communications, said: "We are saddened at the death of one of our tenants at Gatensbury Place and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.

"We know that losing a friend is difficult and that news of our tenant’s death must have been distressing for everyone at the scheme."

The management team plan to visit Gatensbury Place next week.

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