A homeless father was discovered dead on Boxing Day morning in Manchester, with his family suggesting the freezing temperatures may have been a factor.
A Life Lost in the Cold
Anthony Horn, 47, was found on Friday, 26 December, next to a canal near the Bridgewater Hall. Paramedics confirmed his death at the scene. It is understood he was part of a small group of men who regularly slept in a sheltered overhang at the rear of the concert venue.
His sister, Linda Horn, revealed the family had been estranged from Anthony for around a decade. She described her brother as a "generous and caring" man who used humour as a shield. "He was so funny - he'd make your sides ache with laughing," she said. "But he had a lot of heartache. I'd go as far as to say it was catastrophic and he just went off the rails."
A Family's Desperate Search
Ms Horn recounted her persistent efforts to find her brother, walking the streets of Manchester and leaving her details with soup kitchens, but to no avail. "There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think about him," she stated. Anthony, originally from Bury, was a father to one son.
His friend, Anthony O'Brien, who had also been sleeping rough over the festive period, paid tribute. "He was a really good lad. He loved his football," O'Brien said. He highlighted the severe cold on Christmas night, noting, "It was absolutely freezing."
Data from the Whitworth Observatory showed the temperature dropped to around 4°C before dawn on Boxing Day.
Non-Suspicious Death Investigation
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to the scene at 9.30am on 26 December. A spokesperson confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious and enquiries are ongoing.
Tributes, including bouquets of flowers, have been left at the sheltered spot near the water. A card from Mr Horn's family read: "Rest in peace son. So sorry you didn't reach out. You will always be in our heart."
Linda Horn said she is awaiting formal confirmation from the coroner but believes her brother died "mainly due to the freezing conditions." Visiting the location, she said, "It's really hard to think that he died there like that. Anthony had issues, he really did, but he didn't deserve to die like this."
Her grief extended beyond her personal loss. "I'm upset, not just for my brother, but for everyone else I saw last night. It's heart-breaking," she said. "It shouldn't be happening, but it's the way of the world now."
