Landlady and her mother found dead in house suffered asphyxiation

Avon lady Angela Holgate, 54, and her 75-year-old mother Alice Huyton were found by a relative at Mrs Holgate’s home on Saturday evening. Detectives are seeking 51-year-old Barry Morrow, who was a lodger at Mrs Holgate’s home, as they believe he may have information vital to the investigation.

It is thought he may have fled the country to either France or Spain.

Police sources confirmed he was “known to the police” and it is also understood that he pleaded guilty last year to assaulting a Southport woman. The victim was neither Mrs Holgate nor her mother.

Mrs Huyton was last seen on Friday evening when she left her home in Southport to visit her daughter. Divorced Mrs Holgate, the mother of two adult daughters, had been ill and had not been seen out of the house for the previous week.

A relative visited the property on Saturday when nothing was heard from the women and the bodies were found. Mrs Holgate’s white Citroen with the registration PN11 RWK is also missing.

Mrs Huyton was married and her husband, thought to be in his 80s, was said to be “devastated” .

Police are appealing for information.