Elderly man may have died trying to save wife after she fell at home in Donegal

An elderly couple may both have died in separate falls at their home in Donegal yesterday.

Patrick Doherty, in his 80s, and his wife Margaret, in her 70s, were found dead in the property in Convoy, Co Donegal yesterday morning. Gardaí say that there is no sign of a break-in at the property. "We obviously have to examine every possible cause of death but at this stage it does not appear as if there was a break-in or that there was any sign of trauma," a Garda source told The Mirror. "The results of the post mortems will determine what direction any future investigation will take.” Liam Doherty, a nephew of Margaret, said that it looks as though their deaths were tragic accidents. “There is nothing as of yet indicating anything suspicious. "It seems Margaret took a fall and possibly hit her head off a dresser. “Pat was in the bedroom, I believe Pat got out of bed to help her and he also took a fall.” Mr Doherty said his sister had discovered the bodies when she called in to check up on her aunt and uncle. "They were a very modest couple who kept to themselves, they were happily married and had no children," he added. “This is just a huge shock for everyone that knew them.”