Bailiffs met by body in house

The 27-year-old former taxi driver was found at his home in Greensand Close yesterday morning.

He has not yet been formally identified and police are trying to trace his family.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Lee Godding, 29, watched as the bailiffs tried to force locks on the front door.

"Five of them turned up in an unmarked white van and spent an hour trying to get in," he said.

"Two of them went in, but came back out almost immediately. It's a real shock, he was a pleasant guy. I didn't know him that well, but he would always say hello."

An ambulance was called and a forensic team spent the morning at the house a two-bedroom property in a block of five.

Police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar said: "At this stage of enquiries there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

"The Coroner has been informed and an inquest will be opened in due course."

Neighbours in the smart cul-de-sac were shocked by the news.

The man who lived alone moved in six years ago when the houses were new.

One near neighbour a mother-of-two recalled meeting him at a barbecue.

"He was a very quiet guy, but pleasant enough," she said.

"No one ever had any trouble with him. I hadn't seen him since Christmas."

Another neighbour, project manager Kirsty Davies, 24, said the whole street was shocked.

"I can't believe it," she said, "it's awful." Neighbours said bailiffs had called round a month ago, but got no answer. The man spent a couple of years working for Millennium Radio Cars on the Cheney Manor Trading Estate.

Manager John Gardner, 39, said he was a first class cabbie.

"It was five to six years ago, and I lost touch with him when he left," he said.

"He was an excellent young chap, and a good driver.

"There was never a complaint made about him.

"Customers loved him, staff loved him there was never a bad word said about him.

"He was an asset to the company and I wouldn't have hesitated to re-employ him."

Tamash Lal