Search party in ashes hunt

CORDONED off: where Nellie was found

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A DETERMINED community, touched by the death of Nellie Geraghty, are staging a public search of Shaw in a bid to find the snatched bag containing her husband’s ashes.

A Facebook group is urging residents to join an organised search and scour areas where the 79-year-old’s black handbag may have been ditched.

The team, being co-ordinated by the organisers of tribute page “RIP Nellie Geraghty”, are hoping to make use of tomorrow’s day of strike action to get as many people as possible to take part in the hunt.

Police have given their backing to the search, but have said that it must be co-ordinated by specialist search officers to ensure it is carried out correctly.

Teams of officers have been out since Thursday, but the bag has still not been found.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Rawlinson said: “The fact that people want to come out and help is fantastic.

“I think it shows the sense of feeling within the area from the members of public who have so far helped us immensely with our enquiries.

“We will brief people tomorrow. We will have certain areas in mind that are currently under review, but it will be us co-ordinating the teams.

“We’re determined to find the bag and if we can work together to do that it would be great.”

The online page has been bombarded with messages since Nellie’s death on Friday, garnering over 1,000 fans in five days.

The search party will meet at Shaw Market at 10.15am tomorrow, with organisers suggesting volunteers could split into teams and cover different areas to ensure the bag is found.

It’s a race against time to find the ashes of husband Frank, which Nellie had carried by her side for 17 years. Her dying wish was to be cremated with the ashes so the devoted pair could be scattered together.

Several people had posted messages on the page lashing out at those responsible for the attack, but the administrators acted swiftly to stamp out such outbursts and concentrate simply on remembering the pensioner.

After announcing the search, one posting read: “Can I suggest people bring a clean plastic bag with which to pick up the bag if they are lucky enough to find it — just in case there is the slim chance of the police recovering any DNA evidence.”

It was also suggested that members of the search party bring gloves and, if they find the bag, leave it in place while contacting police and staying close by.

One thought was to head to waste land off Kings Road, where the former New Barn School once stood.

Details of the brand and style of Nellie’s bag are sketchy.

It is known to be black in colour and could be torn, as the strap was still in Nellie’s hand when she was found in the alleyway near her Elizabeth Grove home.

It contains a small box, holding the ashes, within a blue velvet drawstring bag that Nellie hand-stitched herself.

Superintendent Catherine Hankinson, of Oldham Police, has also ensured locals that everything is being done to catch those responsible, with a murder inquiry now under way.

She added: “We are determined to bring the offenders to justice and are continuing to appeal to anyone with information which can help us to get in touch.

“We know Nellie’s family and the wider community want to find out exactly what happened to her and why and their search for answers is matched only by our desire to provide them.”

Anyone with any information about the whereabouts of the bag, or about the crime itself, is asked to contact police on 0161-856-8951 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.