Originally Posted by BBC News

Body 'undiscovered for five years'


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The body of pensioner has been found in a tenement flat in Edinburgh where it may have lain for up to five years.

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

Police officers, who are appealing for relatives to get in touch, made the discovery as they investigated a water leak on Tuesday.

They had to push past a large volume of mail to enter the flat in Rodney Street in the Cannonmills area. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Cleo Gifford, 34, whose family lived opposite Ms Purves for 18 years, said she was saddened and shocked by the news.

She told the BBC Scotland news website: "In all the 18 years we lived there, Ms Purves never had one visitor, it was a wee shame.

"She was always cleaning her brasses and keeping the stair clean and would go out hiking. She was very fit and only became frail in later years.

"She was an old-fashioned lady, quite a Miss Marple, Morningside-type, but not glam - no pearls or twins sets, but she would wear thick tights and long skirts and was always very well turned out.

"I think it is tragic that someone can be deceased for such a long period of time and not be found, it is really sad."

Dorothy Crystal, joint owner of David Crystal Optometrist, said Ms Purves was an annual customer until her last visit in 1997.

She said: "We kept sending her reminders until 2004 but stopped after we thought she must have gone to live in a nursing home.

"She used to walk past the shop but she was frail.