Lindsay Birbeck: CCTV of man with wheelie bin released after mum’s body found in cemetery

Police investigating the killing of a teaching assistant in Lancashire have
released footage of a suspect pulling a wheelie bin.

A body found in a cemetery over the weekend was confirmed to be that of Lindsay Birbeck, Lancashire Police said.

In a statement, the force said: “We have released footage of a man we are treating as a suspect in the hunt for Lindsay Birbeck’s killer.

“The CCTV shows a man walking along Burnley Road towards Accrington at about 2.30pm on 17 August – five days after Lindsay disappeared – pulling a blue wheelie bin.

“After he passes this camera the man turns down Whitewell Road towards the cemetery.”

A bin similar to the one in the footage was found near the scene where Lindsay was discovered, they added.

The 47-year-old’s body was discovered at Accrington Cemetery on Saturday, almost two weeks after she was last seen.

A post-mortem concluded that she was strangled.

Detective Supt Andy Cribbin said: “The man in these images is now a suspect in our investigation and I am appealing for the public’s help to try and identify him. If anyone thinks they know who this person is I would urge them to come forward and contact us urgently.

“I am however conscious that there could be a perfectly reasonable explanation for this footage so if this is you in these images then I would ask you to come and speak to us so we can eliminate you from our inquiry.”

In an earlier statement, the force said officers were aware of “rumours circulating on social media” about Ms Birbeck’s death but urged people not to speculate as this is causing her loved ones “significant additional distress at what is clearly an extremely difficult time”.

“We can now sadly confirm that the body found at Accrington Cemetery at the weekend is that of missing teaching assistant Lindsay Birbeck,” the statement said.

“Burnley Road detectives launched a murder inquiry. A post-mortem examination has been conducted and shows that Lindsay died as a result of compression of the neck.”

The victim’s family continue to be supported by family liaison officers, detectives said.

Ms Birkbeck, 47, was last seen on CCTV walking in Accrington on 12 August.

Her Huawei mobile phone is still missing, officers said.

A large team of detectives, uniformed officers and staff are “working round the clock” on the case, reviewing CCTV and making house-to-house inquiries as they try to piece together what happened to her.

No arrests have been made yet.

Detective Superintendent Andy Cribbin, from the force’s major investigation team, said: “I need to find out where Lindsay has gone after she was last seen on CCTV on Burnley Road at just after 4pm on 12 August and what has happened to her.

“I would continue to appeal for anyone with CCTV, especially in the area of Peel Park Avenue, to come forward and I would also like to speak to anyone who thinks they saw Lindsay, or anyone matching her description, or who saw anything suspicious in that area on the afternoon or evening of 12 August to come and speak to us.

“I would also like to speak to anyone who has seen anything suspicious in or around the cemetery area after 12 August or anyone who has any drone footage or dashcam footage which could assist.”

(c) Sky News 2019: Lindsay Birbeck: CCTV of man with wheelie bin released after mum’s body found in cemetery