A murder probe has been launched after an 88-year-old man was found dead in a country village on lockdown.
Neighbours say the victim, named locally as widower Dennis Kellond, was discovered by his son yesterday morning at his home in the village of Godstone in Surrey.
Concerned villagers say there have been reports of a number of shed break ins and burglaries in the area during the coronavirus lockdown.
One local resident reportedly said Mr Kellond's son had described his dad as 'fit' and unlikely to have gone down without a fight.
The victim was described by a friend as a' smashing old boy' and a 'cracking bloke'.
Neighbours claimed a gang in boiler suits and ski masks had been seen appearing to operate in the area before the widower's body was found.
It is understood Mr Kellond had not been seen for a couple of days sparking concerns by neighbours who raised the alarm.
They had been ringing to check he was coping with lockdown.
Locals in the pretty village have been pulling together during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure the elderly have enough supplies.
One of Mr Kellond's neighbours had tried checking in with him when they realised something was wrong at his gated 1980s bungalow.
Two blue forensic tents could be seen at the scene today - one covering the pavement and another on the driveway of the property.
A neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she called Dennis' son Peter to check on his father.
When he entered the house, Peter sadly found the 88-year-old dead.
The neighbour explained: "I've known him for 15 years - the whole time we've lived here. He was a very nice man.
"His son Peter found Dennis on Monday morning.
"We keep an eye on him and suddenly thought we hadn't seen him for a couple of days.
"So we contacted Peter on Monday and said we hadn't seen his dad for a bit. He came over and found him.
"We were all out in the garden on the weekend but his back door was open so we just thought he was in and out.
"We were the first ones to alert someone so kind of started it all but we didn't hear a thing."
A woman, aged 80, who did not wish to be named, told The Sun she knew Mr Kellond's neighbour, and had been told it was unlikely the elderly man would have gone down without a fight.
She said: "Even though he was well into his 80s, he was really fit. He was a very helpful man.
“Apparently his son said he would not let somebody take things without a fight, so that gives you rather a nasty picture.
"Though, we have not been told anything about the state he was found in.”
The Reverend Peter O'Connell, vicar at the nearby St Nicholas Church, said today: "Yesterday morning one of his neighbours contacted me to let me know what had happened.
"They hadn't been able to get a response from him and when someone is 88 and isn't contactable by phone, you wonder what's going on.
"Across the village, people are trying to look after people - particularly more the more frail and elderly.
"His neighbours had been trying to keep in touch to make sure he had enough food and was healthy.
"We've heard what the police have said, that it was some sort of break-in and police are describing it as murder.
"It's a tragedy for his family and the village at a time when we thought the virus was the worst thing we had to worry about."
Rev O'Connell confirmed the victim was Mr Kellond.
He added: "He kept very much to himself. He was very involved in the village preservation society and was on the committee in recent years, but had slowed down his involvement."
Eddie Woods, who lives in a nearby cul-de-sac, said: "His wife had died and he lived on his own. We saw him around the village on a Saturday morning getting his paper.
"He seemed like a really nice chap. As we went past we would say good morning. He kept himself to himself.
"It became apparent as they were there all day and then the forensics arrived and all the searches - obviously something serious was going on."
She said friends had reported burglaries in the area on Sunday night where CCTV had caught people in boiler suits with ski masks on "going equipped".
Another neighbour, who lives in the same cul-de-sac, said: "We always saw him as we walked past and would wave to him and say good morning. He was very nice and was always out in his front garden."
A friend who wanted to remain anonymous said he used to chat with Dennis when they bumped into each other on the village green.
The pair struck up a friendship discussing their time in the National Service and would chat whenever they saw each other.
"Dennis was a smashing old boy," he said. "A cracking bloke.
"Dennis had a few friends who he played boules with but obviously they didn't know about it because they didn't check on him. It's desperately sad.
"I discussed my army life with him. He was a bit older than me. I went into the National Service in 1950 and he must have gone in 1948 in to bomb disposal.
"We were laughing and I said 'that's a dangerous job isn't it's but I don't know what he did for a living."
The victim as not been formally identified yet and a post mortem is set to take place in due course to determine his cause of death.
Uniformed police officers were carrying out house to house enquiries wearing masks and gloves today.
Officers were also checking manhole covers and drains.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Pirie from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: “The investigation is still in the early stages but we would like to reassure the local community that we are doing everything we can to establish the circumstances of this man’s death.
"Our thoughts remain with his family and friends at this time who are being supported by specialist officers.
“If you have any information which could help us, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.”
