House body in the probed by police

The Bermuda Guest House is at the centr eof the investigation

“I work away so I hadn’t seen him for about a year.

“He had his fair share of problems, but then again, doesn’t everyone?

“He doesn’t work and I know the government pays for his accommodation.

“He was quite quiet and kept himself to himself.

“It’s really sad news to hear this about a relative, I was really shocked.”

Restaurant consultant and student Ryan Blakey, 20, of North Parade, said: “I had heard that a fella in his 30s had been found dead in the house next door and four men had been arrested.

“That house has had all sorts of people in it, but recently it has been quite quiet.

“There were four police cars and an ambulance car when I left for work at around 5.15pm on Friday.

“It is quite a shock to hear someone has been found dead so close.”

A neighbour said: “There is a high turnover of people living there and we have got to know a number of them over the years, but occasionally you get a bad apple.

“We try to live with the situation and try to be friendly with everyone. It is a bit of a sad story, the guy was probably trying his best.”

Another neighbour said: “It was just after 5pm on Friday when the police cars pulled up and went in.

“Someone from the house opened the door to them.

“More police arrived and they were in the back lane, they were everywhere. The street was full of policemen.” Neighbour Ryan Blakey

Detective Chief Inspector Shelley Hudson is leading the investigation.

She said: “We have been carrying out enquiries throughout the night to establish the circumstances around how this man came to suffer his injuries and would ask anyone who has information that may help with our enquiries to come forward and speak to us.

“If anyone has been in the area over the past couple of days and seen anything that may have seemed suspicious or out of the ordinary then we are keen to hear from them.”

A spokesman from the North East Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 16.58 to the North parade area of Whitley Bay. We despatched a rapid response paramedic, but we didn’t take anyone to hospital.”

 Anyone with information that may help police with enquiries is asked to contact police on 101 quoting 739 170317, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.