Man quizzed on Nellie murder

Nellie Geraghty

POLICE have been given more time to question a man arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of Shaw pensioner Nellie Geraghty.

The 37-year-old man was arrested on Friday but yesterday officers were granted a further 36 hours to continue questioning the suspect.

He is is also being quizzed over a robbery in Baillie Street, Rochdale, shortly after 4pm on Friday.

Nellie (79) was found unconscious and clinging to a strap of her stolen handbag — which held the ashes of her late husband, Frank — in the alleyway leading from Elizabeth Grove, Shaw, on November 24.

She was taken to Royal Oldham Hospital with serious head injuries but died at midnight the following day.

Despite extensive searches by the police and public, the ashes have still not been recovered.

Two boys, aged 14 and 17 had previously been arrested on suspicion of murder and are on bail until January 9.


Search goes on for missing bag
BIN collections in Shaw have been disrupted as part of the search to find important evidence after a pensioner was attacked.

Mrs Geraghty (79) was found in the alleyway leading from Elizabeth Grove to Kershaw Street shortly before midday on November 24, but died the next day. Her handbag, which contained the ashes of her late husband, Frank, was missing.

Since then local residents joined forces with Oldham police to search designated areas near the scene and bin collections in some parts of the district were suspended to assist the search for evidence.

Councillor Jean Stretton, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “Nellie Geraghty’s death shocked the community and it has been inspiring to see how local residents pulled together to assist in this search.

“This important search has meant that the normal emptying of bins containing normal waste, recycling and trade waste was suspended.

“The vast majority of bins in the Shaw area will have been collected by the end of Friday, but some located in a small area in the vicinity of the crime scene still remain under examination and police are working hard to complete this work.

“As soon as they indicate to us that these bins can be cleared we will deploy extra staff to deal with this backlog.”

Shaw councillor Howard Sykes said: “The local community is right behind the police in this search and we all hope that this will help us to reunite the ashes of Nellie’s late husband with her family, and to find whoever is responsible for this callous crime.”

A list of items to look for — which were thought to be in the missing handbag — was issued by Greater Manchester Police.

This included a pink card holder bearing the words Ocean Village, a black purse, bus pass, cheque book, and a green plastic spiral clip-on cord, possibly with a key attached.

A photograph of Frank Geraghty was also in the bag along with his ashes.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 0161-856 5448 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555 111.