Man lived with corpse in flat for years

An elderly man lived for at least eight years with the body of his dead lodger in his council flat in Bristol, it has emerged.

The remains of Dennis Pring, who would now be aged 73, were discovered by council workers on a sofa in the lounge after neighbours complained of a foul smell emanating from the flat.

Police said Mr Pring's body was found by council workers on January 30, and the tenant was arrested in connection with the discovery.

But they said they were no longer treating the death as suspicious.

It is believed the tenant, who is also in his 70s, failed to report the death because he suffers from severe mental health problems.

An inquest into the death has been opened and adjourned.

Meanwhile, Bristol City Council has launched an inquiry to determine how the body went unnoticed for so long.

A spokesman for the council said: "We were alerted to the body after we received reports of a smell.

"We are shocked and concerned by this discovery and are carrying out an urgent internal review of the circumstances of the tenant.

"A police investigation is ongoing, and it would be inappropriate to comment further while this is taking place."