A Liverpool region taxi driver handed himself into police following the double murder of two elderly women in the Liverpool region.
Detectives investigating the murder of Margaret Biddolph were linking the grim find with the discovery of the corpse of another woman at a nearby property
Police had been working on the theory that Mrs Biddolph, 78, died during a botched burglary at her home in the leafy Southport suburb where she had lived for 36 years.
A second body of a woman, named locally as Annie Leyland, 75, was found in the early hours of Wednesday at Birch Road, just over a mile away and close to the entrance of Duke Street Cemetery.
She was widowed "five or six" years ago when husband Eric died, said a Royal Mail postman who did not want to be named.
He added: "She rarely came out after that and I hardly saw her but it is a huge shame."
A woman neighbour who has lived on Birch Road since 1984 said Mrs Leyland was often visited by her family and grandchildren.
The neighbour, who also did not want to be named, said: "I only knew her to say hello too but it's such a shock.
"Annie kept herself to herself and wouldn't come out in bad weather or the winter but in the summer she would go out for walks down the street.
"She was married and had grandchildren I think, there was often visitors to her house and I assume they were family.
"It would be appalling if she has been killed. It's a huge shock."
Another neighbour of Annie Leyland, Valerie McClelland, 56, said: "She often went shopping in taxi."
Police launched the double murder inquiry after a man handed himself into a Southport Police station.
A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "Detectives launched a murder enquiry and arrested a man following the discovery of a body at a house in Lonsdale Road, Southport on Tuesday, 21st February.
"As a result of further enquiries a second body has been recovered at an address in Birch Street, Southport in the early hours of this morning Wednesday, 22nd February.
"At this time the cause of death has yet to be established and Home Office post mortems will be carried out later today.
"Both of the victims are believed to be women in their 80s, although formal identification is yet to take place.
"A 43-year-man from Southport has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and will be further interviewed in connection with the enquiry.
"The Merseyside Force Major Incident Team is leading the investigation and house-to-house enquiries were underway, both scenes remained sealed for forensic examination."
Anyone with information is asked to call the FMIT on 0800 230 0600 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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