Shocked neighbours react to deaths in Worthing home

Sussex Police said a man and a woman were found dead in a house in South Farm Road, Worthing at around 1.50am this morning. The house has been cordoned off, and a police officer is stationed outside while forensics teams collect evidence inside. Police have not confirmed the identities of the pair at this stage.

Neighbour Heather Denyer, 24, was being dropped home from a shift at McDonald’s in the town centre by a friend just before 2am today when she saw police outside the house. While she sat in the car, several more police cars and an ambulance pulled up in a short space of time. There were about eight police cars outside in total.

She said the police officers were not frantic, as if someone was injured inside. She said: “Something had already gone down, and they understood what was in there.”

Heather, who also works at Shreejee News across the street, said she had met the people who lived at the house and said they were ‘just normal people’. She said: “The lady just seemed really quiet, kept to herself but was nice.”

She added: “I was so shocked, because I wouldn’t think in a million years that anyone in this street would die like that.”

Her father Chris, 52, said: “I couldn’t believe it that next door but one there were a couple of deaths. You don’t expect that at all, do you.”

Bruce Patel, 55, owner of Shreejee News in South Farm Road, opposite the house, said: “It is shocking. I have been here ten years, and this area is a lovely area. I have never heard of anything like this here before, so it is shocking that it is happening right opposite my shop. I am sure we will get to know the real story soon.

He said he did not know the residents of the house, but had spoken to the woman who lived there when she came into the shop to get ‘bits and pieces’. He said: “She was a nice lady.

“I have never had any problems from them at all; they kept themselves to themselves really.”

An 18-year-old neighbour who did not wish to be named said he had stayed up late last night with his friend but did not see or hear any police presence until this morning, describing the scene as ‘sinister’.

He said he had met the residents of the house a few times, and described them as nice people who kept to themselves. He said: “They were a great addition to the neighbourhood. I just hope that their families are okay.”