More bodies exhumed in GP inquiry

THREE MORE bodies have been exhumed as part of the ongoing investigation into the deaths of 28 patients of the same Manchester doctor.

Dr Harold Shipman, who runs a fund-holding one man practice in Hyde, Greater Manchester, has been charged with the murder of one of his patients, former mayoress, Kathleen Grundy. Mrs Grundy's body was exhumed following allegations that her will had been changed to make Dr Shipman the sole beneficiary of her pounds 300,000 estate.

The 52-year-old GP was also charged earlier this month with attempting to gain from 81-year-old Mrs Grundy's estate by deception, forging her will, forging a letter from her and forging a letter from a Mr Smith.

Yesterday it emerged three more bodies, all of women from the Hyde area of Greater Manchester, have been exhumed.

On Monday officers exhumed the body of an elderly woman who died in June and on Tuesday that of another elderly woman who died in May. The body of a third woman, 49-year-old Bianka Pomfret was removed by detectives from Hyde cemetery in a two-hour operation at 4am yesterday. The women's families have been informed and post mortems are to be carried out. Further exhumations are also said to be planned.

Dr Shipman who lives in Roe Cross Green, Mottram, was arrested and charged with the murder of Mrs Grundy on September 8. He is due before magistrates at Ashton-under-Lyne on October 13.