THE family of a man whose death sparked a murder probe said they were "glad" that detectives' only suspect was dead.

The former partner of Frank Landsborough, of Lindsay Street, Burnley, spoke out after the death this week of Carl Turner, 52.

Mr Landsborough, 56, died in hospital in October after being found at his home with multiple fractures.

Police said he had been fighting with neighbour Mr Turner, who was later arrested for actual bodily harm and murder.

But the day before he was due to answer bail, Mr Turner was found collapsed in Walton Lane, Nelson, on Monday evening and died later in hospital.

Police have said that the investigation was now closed and that it would be a matter for the coroner to hold an inquest.

However, before Mr Turner's death, officers had been struggling to estbalish whether Mr Landsborough had died as a result of the assault or an accident.

A post mortem examination of Mr Landsborough's body proved inconclusive, and detectives did not believe all of his injuries had been caused in the fight with Mr Turner.

And Colleen Stoiles, Mr Landsborough's former partner and mother of his only son, Sean, 26, said the difficulties over the case meant she had expected Mr Turner to be released without charge.

Mrs Stoiles, a cleaner, of Gannow Lane, said: "I know it sound's terrible but I'm glad he's dead, to tell you the truth, because it looked like he was going to get away with it.

"Me and my son feel great about it, and so do the rest of Frank's family.

"Carl dying was the last thing we expected to happen.

"But we didn't expect him to get charged because they couldn't find Frank's cause of death.

"I know we will never really know what happened, but we do blame him even though we can't be certain that Carl beating him up actually killed him."

Six weeks after his death, his family still have not been able to hold a funeral for Mr Landsborough, but Mrs Stoiles said she expected the body to be released in the next couple of days so plans could be made.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned into Mr Turner's death.