Police notified Mr Boad's family about his death but the council mistakenly believed he had no next of kin and his home was given an 'environmental clean' before relatives could reach the property. On the same day Metropolitan Police officers alerted colleagues in Lancashire after finding a Christmas card from Mr Boad's sister-in-law Margaret - Caroline's mother. Council officials initially assured them that only Mr Boad's bed had been removed. The Boad family had lived in the property since the Second World War, with Mr Boad's father Robert also serving in the RAF. Andrew Travers, Lambeth council's interim Chief Executive, said: 'We send our condolences to Mr Boad's bereaved family.

Source: Daily Mail January 31, 2018 10:33 UTC