A Stevenage elderly support charity has called the death of man who lay undiscovered for more than three weeks ‘desperately saddening’.

Sam Edwards of Age Concern said Desmond Bingham, 93, who was found dead at his home in November, used to volunteer at the charity.

Vice chairman Sam told the Comet: “Desmond volunteered for Age Concern years ago and many of our volunteers remember him well.

“It is so sad and unnecessary for this to happen here in Stevenage, we have lots of thriving friendship groups and activities to suit all and there are visiting schemes and even telephone clubs. Society now is far less ‘neighbourly’ but this is why it is so important to look out for our elderly neighbours. One day it could well be you.”

Maurice Cheers also contacted the Comet to express his sadness at Mr Bingham’s lonely death.

The 83-year-old, who lives in Chertsey Rise, Stevenage, said: “I am 10 years younger than him but I also live alone without my family. In the last 12 months I haven’t had two people walk through my front door. I do go out most days, but nowadays more and more people are in the same situation and what is being done about it?

“There should be a telephone service that rings us every week or so to ask us if we are still alive.”

Mr Cheers has a hobby rebuilding motorbikes and tries to keep fairly active, but said a lot of people his age can’t do that. He added: “Desmond could have fought in a major conflict, he could have won the Victoria Cross, but we will never know.

“I think that there has got to be a story behind this poor old soul. Someone has got to have known him, he didn’t come down from the moon.

“I wish I knew where he had been buried, I would like to go and lay some flowers and say ‘hello and goodbye’.”

To contact Age Concern Stevenage Age call 01438 314164.