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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Charlotte Hadfield

Man finds body in alleyway on his way to the shop

A man was on his way to his local shop when he found a body in an alleyway in Kirkdale.

Police remain at the scene of a murder investigation in the Stanley Road area this morning, where a man was found dead at around 1pm on Wednesday, September 22.

The man's body was found in a locked alleyway between Harebell Street and Woodbine Street by a member of the public.

READ MORE: Kirkdale murder investigation: What we know so far as streets remain cordoned off

A shopkeeper, who works in the area, told the ECHO a customer came into his shop and said he had found the body at around 12.30pm.

He said: "He told me he saw a body lying on the ground in the alleyway near the gate and he informed the police."

The shopkeeper checked his CCTV from yesterday to see if there was any suspicious activity on Stanley Road before the body was found but he found no evidence of this.

Harebell Street, Woodbine Street and Reading Street remain sealed off by police today, with the cordon extending onto a section of Commercial Road.

Reading Street is one of three streets that remain cordoned off in Kirkdale this morning (Liverpool Echo)

Forensics were seen gathering evidence outside the entrance to the alleyway on Harebell Street this morning.

The shopkeeper said it's one of a number of incidents that have happened in the Stanley Road area recently which have left his family wanting to move out of the area altogether.

He said: “I’ve been here for the past four years now and every month, every week, something will happen.

"We are unable to live peacefully here because of this crime."

The incident happened near Kirkdale's 'Flower Streets' which have recently been identified by the authorities as a key spot for policing and council work to stop crime and anti-social behaviour.

Forensics at the scene in Kirkdale (Liverpool Echo)

A man, who has lived in the area for over 30 years, said he was on his way to the post office yesterday afternoon when he saw the police tape.

He said: “I live on my own. It’s getting worse around here, it was never like this before."

Detective Inspector Jennie Beck said: “We are in the early stages of our investigation into the death of a man in Kirkdale and we would appeal for anyone with any information to come forward.

“We understand the shock this will have caused within the local community and are doing all we can to establish the circumstances.

“We are carrying out a number of witness and CCTV enquiries tonight to establish what has taken place and so if you have seen anything or anyone suspicious in the Kirkdale area recently then please let us know and we will take action."

Anyone who drove through the area is being asked to review dashcam footage to see whether they captured anything suspicious.

Details can be sent to Merseyside Police via Twitter (@MerPolCC), Facebook (Merseyside Police Contact Centre) or by calling the force on 101, quoting the reference 21000660162.

Drivers can upload dashcam footage to be viewed by police here.

The independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online here

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