Bodies found after couple leave hand-written note

A COUPLE found dead in their home apparently left a hand-written note for their neighbour taped to the front door asking for police to be called.

Shocked pensioner Arnold Johnston, 78, found the message at the home of neighbours Paul and Gillian Knowles yesterday morning.

Officers discovered the bodies of the married couple inside the large semi-detached house on Caughall Road, Chester, near the city's zoo at midday.

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Police said they were not looking for anyone else but were keeping an open mind about what happened.

A spokesman would neither confirm nor deny whether they were investigating if Leeds-born Mr Knowles, a HGV driver of corrosive chemicals, murdered his 51-year-old wife then committed suicide.

The couple, had no children of their own though Mrs Knowles had two from a previous marriage - Dan, 24, a quantity surveyor and Phillipa, in her early twenties.

Today Mr Johnston, retired head of security at the zoo, said he never heard the couple argue and did not know if they had money worries.

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He said: "I found the note and knew that obviously something was very wrong.

"I came inside and phoned Dan and asked him if he wanted to call the police or whether I should.

"He asked me to make the call then he came around to the house but the police had already arrived and been inside.

"He was absolutely stunned.

"The police brought Phillipa here and we let them use our house to speak to her - she was in pieces.

"They were a really lovely couple, fine neighbours.

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"We had keys to each other's houses for emergencies and things."

Mr Johnston said everything seemed fine though he wondered if Mrs Knowles had recently lost her job as a Co-op Pharmacy area manager because she was spending time at home and her company car had gone.

He said: "I never heard Paul raise his voice - unless the rugby was on, which he enjoyed.

"They spent the afternoon before they died sunbathing together and having a drink in the garden, I saw them.

"It is very sad news."

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Mr and Mrs Knowles moved into the house three years ago after renting in Alwyn Gardens - the street across the road.

Today neighbours said Mr Knowles, 50, often worked away during the week and they described Mrs Knowles as "just lovely".

White-suited forensics officers studied the scene inside the cream walled house today removing bags containing potential evidence.

Two police officers stood guard outside the cordoned off house.

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Post-mortem examination results are due tomorrow afternoon, police confirmed.

A spokesman for the Co-operative Pharmacy would not say when or why she stopped working there.

He said: "We knew her as a former employee and we were shocked and saddened to hear the news."

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