CORONATION Street star Samia Smith called 999 after discovering a body in the back of a van.
Heavily-pregnant Samia, 27, who plays hairdresser Maria Connor in the soap, was with her property developer husband Matthew Smith when they made the find.
They had gone to investigate a dog's desperate barking from inside the van. The couple, who were visiting Samia's family in Sale, saw the body through the back window of the red Vauxhall Combi and dialled police.
Officers closed the road and sealed off the van under a tent.
Shocked
They were stopped from getting into the van by the dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier, which had to be taken away by vets. Forensic investigators carried out detailed searches as shocked neighbours looked on. Police said the body was of a 26-year-old man from Northern Moor.
It is understood police are not treating his death as suspicious pending the results of a post-mortem examination and toxicology results. Coronation Street confirmed Samia and her husband - who are expecting their first child next month - discovered the body and reported it to police, but refused to comment further. A spokesman said: "It is a police matter."
It is understood that both Eccles-born actress Samia and her husband were asked for their accounts of their discovery by officers, in line with procedure.
Police said they were called to Hunston Road, off Washway Road in Sale, shortly after noon yesterday.
Neighbours said the van had been parked on the quiet, tree-lined road outside a newly-built block of flats all weekend.
No injuries
It is understood that there were no injuries on the man's body. Officers were last night informing his next of kin and have not yet released his name. It is understood he had borrowed the van from its owner.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "It has been parked here since Friday and the dog's barking was very loud and went on for quite a while. We have never seen the van before and don't know who owns it but it is very sad." Police said that they were following several lines of enquiry but did not yet know the cause of the man's death.
Samia, who joined Coronation Street in 2000, married Matthew in Chester in 2005 after a seven-month engagement. They live in Cheshire.
She was devastated in April after the death of her father Joseph from cancer.
Tweet
Street star Samia Smith finds dead body in van
September 07, 2009
The van where Coronation Street star Samia Smith found the body of a dead man
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
drewroo, Manchesterwigan (07/09/2009 at 09:41)
At what point does the barking from a dog trapped in the back of a van not raise concerns any more in people. That's the sad point 'neighbour who asked not to be named'. Animals locked in a vehicle is a higher priority to police and the public than most other mundane crimes like burglary and assault . This guy could of been discovered a lot earlier. If only people would show more interest in things, and when they did the police showed the same level, we might start moving forward.
Careless Whisper (07/09/2009 at 10:13)
It's a sad scenario that neighbours did not investigate the strange barking red van outside their homes all weekend.
My thoughts are with the poor man and his family he left behind.
*******jo (07/09/2009 at 10:36)
Albert Bino (07/09/2009 at 11:00)
Chris P. Duck (07/09/2009 at 11:27)
Red_Army_75, Manchester (07/09/2009 at 11:52)
That is the most stupid comment i have ever read!
d1v1s1onby0, Wigan (07/09/2009 at 12:21)
Norman Radox (07/09/2009 at 12:23)
eat the rich, bottom of the pile (07/09/2009 at 12:28)
kimsback, stockport (07/09/2009 at 12:52)
cicero, canada (07/09/2009 at 12:56)
friend (07/09/2009 at 13:04)
'She was devastated in April after the death of her father Joseph from cancer'
What relevance has that to the story?!
Brings needless upset if she reads this!
danny jones (07/09/2009 at 13:20)
Deejay, Bury (07/09/2009 at 13:25)
Peeks, Manchester (07/09/2009 at 13:26)
mysay, Manchester (07/09/2009 at 13:32)
get it right yourself, her husband isn't an actor (as stated in the story), and Samia is hardly an extra in Corrie.
Condolences to the family.
northernmoor (07/09/2009 at 13:36)
Albert Bino (07/09/2009 at 13:56)
Traffic Jam, Tameside (07/09/2009 at 14:41)
DukkyKaz, Dukinfield (07/09/2009 at 15:28)
I despair sometimes.
northernmoor (07/09/2009 at 15:37)
Careless Whisper (07/09/2009 at 16:11)
Staffordshire bull terriers are little dogs with big reputations. Obviously you clowns own one. Seeing that you are more intreted in the little dog than the poor man who lost his life. R.I.P.
Peeks, Manchester (07/09/2009 at 16:14)
cicero, canada (07/09/2009 at 16:15)
Northern Mooooor, Northern Moor (07/09/2009 at 16:23)