A mother and her two young children have been found dead at a house in Bolton.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers have launched an investigation following the discovery of the bodies in Arthur Street in Little Lever, but said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

The victims were named locally as Tiffany Stevens, in her 20s, and her two daughters, Caisie, aged three, and one-year-old Darcie, however police would not confirm names.

Detectives and specialist investigators remain at the scene and are continuing with their enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, GMP said. 

On Tuesday morning, a single police car was parked outside and the alleyway at the back of the house was cordoned off at both ends with police tape.

What is thought to have been a gas engineer was also seen at the mid-terrace house the family lived in on.

Neighbour Annmarie Crossland, 36, said she was first alerted something was wrong when Stevens’ brother and ex-boyfriend were heard “screaming and shouting” in the alleyway at the back of the house before another neighbour rang 999 around 3.30pm yesterday.

Crossland said: “Paramedics arrived first and shot off down the back, then another came and then just all police covered the whole street…”

She described Stevens as a “brilliant mum” and said her own four children played with Stevens daughters.

Crossland added: “They were gorgeous little kids. Great, really nice. She would take them to the park and into Bolton. They were very friendly.”

Neighbours did not know if the house the family lived at was rented or not, but said the family moved in around two years ago.

Police said they had been responding to reports of concern for the welfare of a woman at 15:50 GMT on Monday.

Superintendent Rick Jackson, of GMP’s Bolton borough, said: “This is an incredibly tragic incident and we have specialist officers supporting the family at this unimaginably difficult time. 

“Our officers will be continuing with enquiries at the scene over the coming days and detectives will be investigating the full circumstances surrounding what happened. 

“We are keeping an open mind as to what happened to the woman and her children and the investigation is likely to take some time, however based on what we know so far we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.”

Jackson urged anyone who knows anything to get in touch with the police as a matter of urgency, as the information could be vital to this investigation. 

 

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