Couple's bodies found weeks after death at home
BBCThis article contains details some people may find upsetting
The bodies of a couple who "lived for each other" were found weeks after their deaths, an inquest has heard.
Hannelore and Barry Dalton were found at their home in Greysouthen, near Cockermouth, Cumbria, by police after a neighbour said they had not been seen for weeks and there was a bad smell and flies coming from their home.
Coroner Kirsty Gomersal concluded on the balance of probability the couple, both 87, had died of natural causes, though it was not possible to determine the cause due to the condition their bodies were found in.
They were officially pronounced dead by police on 24 May 2025, but the coroner estimated they had died several weeks earlier.
Barry Dalton was found in the bathroom while his wife was found in a bedroom.
Their dog was found alive in the property and police handed it over to a vet.
Evidence heard at the inquest, held at Allerdale House in Workington, showed Barry Dalton had dementia.
Unclear timeline
Witnesses reported Hannelore Dalton had been in good health, but had been getting weaker in the weeks leading up to her death.
Gomersal said the post-mortem could not determine the date of death of the couple, but from circumstantial evidence she felt she was able to conclude Hannelore Dalton had died first.
She said food due to go out of date in March was found in the house.
Hannelore Dalton was last known to be alive on 17 March, when she rang a taxi to go for her weekly shop, while Barry Dalton was last seen by a neighbour in early April.
Gomersal said there was no evidence of falls, fractures or injuries on the couple, however Barry Dalton had severe coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease.
She added there was no evidence of foul play or third party involvement.
"They wanted to be very much alone," Gomersal said, a choice the family had respected.
Devoted couple
A statement from their niece Philippa Charles said the couple did not socialise and "wanted to be together until the end".
She said she had reached out to help them with things such as setting up home deliveries of prescriptions, but they had declined.
Gomersal said she had seen pictures of the couple's home as part of the evidence, which showed they had family photos and cards around it.
"It's clear to me that they come from a family who loved them very much," she said.
The couple had lived at their Greysouthen home for about 30 years but did not have any family or friends nearby.
Hannelore Dalton was born in Poland and Barry Dalton in Sunderland. They had met in Germany when they were 20 and lived in the Isle of Wight, where Barry Dalton was a radar engineer.
They moved to Cumbria in the late 1960s and had always lived in the same home at Went Meadows.
Gomersal said: "They were utterly and totally devoted to each other and they enjoyed a happy marriage."
