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It was only in the pandemic, the checking in on neighbours who might need help

became more real and more important to many of us.

But we begin a series of reports this morning about the death of a woman whose neighbours were concerned about her,

who did raise the alarm, but who was nevertheless forgotten and failed.

Her name was Sheila Cellione.

She was 58 and lived in South London in a housing association property.

We still don't know exactly when she died or how,

but her body was not discovered for two and a half years until early last year,

and that was despite a police call, her gas being cut off,

and smells and maggots

being reported. Well, the BBC's Harry Farley has been looking into Sheila stories for a series

of reports for this programme, and he's here now. Harry, why do this? Well, Michelle, this really

arose out of a sense that this story could tell us something wider about modern Britain, as

we'll hear in the package,

there were multiple failures by different agencies, but also by so many ordinary people who

would have had an idea that something was wrong, but either didn't have the time or inclination

to care, or the systems in place didn't give them the space to care. And as you say, over the last

few months, I've been getting to know as you say, over the last few months,

I've been getting to know Sheila's neighbours, particularly those on her floor, the third floor

of Lord's Court, which is the block where she lived. As you mentioned, they repeatedly tried to

raise the alarm. You know, they're not activists or they're not campaigners in many ways.

...