Bodies of father and son found after suspected gas leak

A father and son have been found dead in their West Midland home after a suspected gas leak. Neighbours raised the alarm after the pair were not seen for several weeks.

The bodies of the men, named locally as Leonard and Carl Ross, were discovered at their home in Fourth Avenue, Brownhills, by police at 10.10am yesterday.

National Grid Gas Alliance spokeswoman Jane Taylor said: "We carried out a test on the gas system in the property and it is fine. We think it is the butane gas fire that is the cause of the problems. This is very sad."

Neighbours said the family had lived in the house, owned by Watmos Community Homes, for some three decades.

Frail Leonard is thought to have been in his 80s and Carl in his mid 40s. Neighbours said the pair were keen mechanics and a number of vehicles were kept in their garden.

Carl, a former Brownhills Comprehensive pupil, was unemployed although it is believed he previously worked as a welder.

Elaine Aker, aged 57, who lived opposite the men said she had contacted housing bosses as they had not been seen for a number of weeks.

"I used to see them on a Tuesday going shopping but I hadn't seen them in about three weeks so I started to get worried," she said.

Police are treating the deaths as unexplained.