Dad ‘liked by everyone’ found dead in canal
TRIBUTES have been paid to a doting dad who was found dead in a canal.
Police and the fire service were called by a group of people who were magnet fishing in a stretch of the Rochdale Canal near Old Church Street in Newton Heath on the morning of Sunday, October 31.
Tragically, officers pulled a man from the water and he was confirmed dead at the scene.
The man has been named by relatives as 55-year-old Lee Hall from Newton Heath.
He leaves behind a 16-year-old daughter Marnilee as well as his mum, stepdad and brothers.
Mr Hall, a drug and alcohol service worker, was a popular figure in the Newton Heath area and was well-known for walking his dog, an Akita-cross called Teddy.
His death has left his family distraught, especially daughter Marnilee.
Her mother Rosemary, Mr Hall’s ex-partner, told how only hours before his death he had called round to her house.
“He was here on Saturday and was saying how he wanted to buy Marni a guitar,” said Rosemary.
“He’d left the money at his mum’s house.
“He was happy and said how proud he was of Marni.”
Relatives say Mr Hall spent the evening of Saturday, October 30 drinking and socialising in The Crown pub which is immediately adjacent to the Rochdale Canal.
It is believed he left at around 1am but never made it home.
The full circumstances of his death are not yet clear but it is understood Greater Manchester Police have ruled out any thirdparty involvement.
The family are now awaiting the results of a post-mortem exam and toxicology reports before a file is prepared for the coroner.
Marni told the M.E.N. she will remember her dad through their shared love of music.
“He bought me my first guitar,” she said.
“And he was going to buy me my first electric guitar for Christmas.
“We both like Fleetwood Mac and he came to my enrolment at music college.
“I’ve got a birthday card [from him] and I want something he said written into the guitar [when I get it]. He was funny, everyone liked him.”
Mr Hall’s death has been felt throughout Newton Heath with dozens of people turning up for a balloon release event last week.
A fundraising event is taking place at The Crown tomorrow from 4pm.