Man held over mugging death of OAP

Police in Britain have arrested a man in connection with the death of a widow whose handbag containing her husband’s ashes was stolen by muggers.

Nellie Geraghty, 79, suffered serious head injuries as she desperately tried to cling on to the bag during the attack in Oldham, Greater Manchester, on Thursday November 24.

She died in Royal Oldham Hospital at around midnight on the following Friday.

Her handbag, which contained the ashes of her husband Frank, was missing when she was discovered in an alleyway.

The strap was still in Mrs Geraghty’s hand. The ashes have not been recovered.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody for questioning.”

Police said the man was also arrested in relation to a robbery that occurred on Yorkshire Street, Rochdale, shortly after 4pm on Friday December 9.