Murder allegations dropped against girls after post-mortem into pensioner’s death

Police outside at a property in Edinburgh Drive, Wisbech. Photo: Sam Russell/PA Wire

The girls, aged 14 and 16, were arrested after the man - named locally as 81-year-old Patrick Marron - died in Edinburgh Drive, Wisbech on Saturday.

Police said at the time that Mr Marron’s death was unexplained, but a post-mortem has now concluded that he died from natural causes.

A file is in the process of being prepared for the coroner.

A 12-year-old girl and a man (20) were also arrested in connection with the incident but were previously released with no further action taken.

Tributes have been given to Mr Marron since he died, with flowers being left by his house.

Neighbour Diane Means (64) said she had known him for 46 years and described him as “absolutely fantastic”.

She said the retired road worker had lived alone since his wife died “a couple of years ago”.

He had two sons aged in their 40s and a number of grandchildren, she said.

“You couldn’t want for a better man, you really couldn’t,” she said. “If he could help you he would help you and if you hadn’t got something and he had he would either lend you it or give you it.

“He liked his garden and he loved his cats.

“He ended up with five, six, probably more.

“They would just go under the fence, under the hedge and go to him and he’d feed them, and he’d go out and buy them all the best.”

She added that he had a “wicked sense of humour” and will be “very, very sorely missed”.

Her husband Peter Means (66) said: “He was gentle, absolutely friendly, one of my very best mates.

“All I can say is good things about Pat Marron.

“He was a great guy, I’ve known him for over 45 years, he would help me any way he could, I did the same for him and we’ve been friends for all those years.”