The body of an elderly British woman has been found in her home after lying undiscovered for up to five years.
The badly decomposed remains of Isabella Purves, who would have been 90 this year, were uncovered when police broke into her Edinburgh apartment on Tuesday.
A downstairs neighbour had alerted the local council after she noticed water dripping through her ceiling.
The officers waded through piles of unopened mail shoved under Ms Purves' door before making the grim discovery.
It is believed nobody noticed she was missing because her pension went straight into her bank account and all of her bills were paid by direct debit.
Neighbour Cleo Gifford, who lives across from Ms Purves apartment, said he was very saddened by the news.
"In all the 18 years we lived there, Ms Purves never had one visitor — it was a wee shame," he told the BBC.
"She was an old-fashioned lady, quite a Miss Marple, Morningside-type, but not glam … no pearls or twin sets, but she would wear thick tights and long skirts and was always very well turned out."
A man who owns a florist beneath the building said he could not believe how long it took for Ms Puves to be discovered.
"How did no one notice the smell, or wonder where she was?" said Giovanni Cilia.
Police have not yet been able to find any of Ms Purves' relatives and are appealing for anyone to come forward.
It is believed she never married.
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