Double hanging

Father and son in suspected suicide pact

A Failsworth street was in shock today after a father and son were found hanged in an apparent suicide pact.

Hugh Robertson (87) and his 58-year-old son, Donald, were discovered hanging on July 5 at their garden terrace home in Woodford Road, where they had lived for many years.

Neighbour Christine Lomas made the grim discovery as she peered through the letter box in a bid to contact the Robertsons.

The police were called and the facts have been reported to the Oldham Coroner.

Another neighbour said the Robertsons were lovely people and very kind to children.

Neither, though, could venture any definite clues to the sudden way the men’s lives ended.

Mrs Lomas (63), whose home in Richmond Road overlooks the house where the Robertsons lived, said: “They were just very nice people and this is a great shame.

“I had one of their relatives get in touch with me to say they were worried because they had not been able to contact them.

“But I couldn’t get a reply when I knocked. Then I looked through the letter box and saw a mail piled up on the mat.

“Through the letter box I spotted the dad hanging and the son, who apparently had been hanging also, was lying nearby.

“It was a horrible thing to see — I keep going over it and I cannot sleep. I just cannot understand why they did it.

“There was a suggestion that the father had some kind of kidney trouble but we did not know how serious, or otherwise, it was.

“I very much liked both of these people and I am very sad that this has happened.

“The relative who got in touch was not aware, either, of anything serious befalling them.

“It is all just a complete mystery to all of us — we would all like to know exactly what happened.”

The staff of the coroner’s office are already beginning to unravel the information which will eventually give clues and help a verdict to be reached and the circumstances of the death to be made public.

In the meantime, residents of the quiet suburban street must live with the tragedy none thought would ever occur.

The funeral of the two men will be held at Oldham Crematorium on Thursday.