Man 'devastated' after finding out about mum's death on Facebook

Kevin Simpson says he feels "very let down" by the police

A man who found out about the death of his mother on a community social media page has said he is disappointed police took so long to inform him.

Kevin Simpson, from Nottinghamshire, was trying to locate his mother after finding her car parked in nearby woods.

He then saw a Facebook post about a woman's death there three days earlier.

Lincolnshire Police said officers had tried to find Gillian Simpson's family and were sorry Mr Simpson had found out the way he did.

Mr Simpson was told his 75-year-old mother had suffered a stroke while walking her dog

Mr Simpson, 53, said he had received a call from his mother's friend to say she had not turned up to a pre-arranged meeting on 22 July.

After trying her home in Balderton, near Newark, he eventually found her car parked at Stapleford Wood, just over the border in Lincolnshire.

Family friends told him they had seen a Facebook post about a woman's death at the woods, prompting Mr Simpson to call the police.

Lincolnshire Police said officers were called to Stapleford Woods just after 15:30 BST on 19 July to a report of a woman unwell.

The force said despite the best efforts of the emergency services, she had died.

Mr Simpson said he was told she had had a stroke while walking her dog, which he had to reclaim from kennels.

He said he was "devastated" to have found out the way he did.

Ms Simpson's dog Pearl was taken to a kennel by Lincolnshire Police

He said: "I'm very disappointed. I feel very let down by the police."

He said his details had been registered on his mother's dog's microchip but he did not believe it was scanned.

Lincolnshire Police - who dealt with the initial emergency call - said: "As the women lived in Nottinghamshire, colleagues in Nottinghamshire Police visited her home address and also tried to make inquiries with neighbours, unfortunately without success.

"We are really sorry that the woman's son found out this way.

"We understand the devastating impact that this type of message can have at any time, which is why we make every effort to deliver that message directly from officers, and in person where we can.

"Sadly, that was not possible on this occasion and we do not underestimate the impact this is likely to have had."

Nottinghamshire Police declined to comment.