Murder arrest after man's body found in Southall

A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and preventing a lawful burial after an older man was found dead in west London.

The Metropolitan Police was called out to an address in Southall at about 11:00 BST on Wednesday, following concerns for the victim's welfare.

Officers discovered the body of the man, believed to have been in his 60s, at the property in Samara Drive.

Neighbours described the victim as "a really nice man" and that they were in shock.

Locals reported the police had been called to the block of flats after a maintenance worker at the site had raised concerns about the condition of the victim's property.

A neighbour who lives below the victim said she was scared by the incident.

"I can't believe it. I was shocked," she said.

"He seemed like a really nice man. He struggled to walk. It would probably take him 20 minutes to get to the shop," she added.

The neighbour said she would tell others to "keep their doors locked", and said she now would not let her two daughters walk to school.

Local shop worker Dinushrad Cirshty said the man used to come into the store to buy milk and bread.

"He didn't speak much," he said.

"Sometimes he asked for help to get the things. He was not a rude man, he doesn't speak much with us, he buys and he goes."

Locals said the man was frequently visited by his son, but otherwise kept to himself.

The Met said it was treating the man's death as suspicious, and had launched a murder investigation. Officers were also trying to trace his next of kin.

Det Ch Insp Brian Howie said: "We are in the very early stages of our investigation and my team of experienced detectives and forensic specialists are working at pace to establish the circumstances of this death.

"I can understand that this may be concerning for the community in Southall, who can expect to see an increased police presence in the area as we begin our investigation."

The suspect, who is from Southall, remains in police custody.

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