ROCHDALE – A woman in her 30s has died following a fire at a farm in Milnrow, prompting Greater Manchester Police to launch a murder investigation.
The discovery of the victim’s body inside a farm building has turned a structural blaze into a criminal inquiry. A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death.
Emergency Response at Higher Tunshill Farm
Emergency services were alerted to a fire at Higher Tunshill Farm, located off Tunshill Lane, at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 3. Witnesses reported seeing thick black smoke and large flames billowing across the surrounding area before responders arrived, with crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service working alongside paramedics and police to secure the site.
The fire broke out in a set of stables on the property. It is understood that the stables were derelict and may have been undergoing renovation at the time of the incident, though this has not yet been confirmed by investigators.
Police Investigation and Arrest
Following the extinguishing of the blaze, officers discovered the body of a woman in her 30s inside the stables. This discovery led to the immediate classification of the incident as a murder investigation under the Homicide Act framework in England and Wales, with detectives from Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team now leading inquiries.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed the sequence of events:
“At around 12:30pm on Friday 3 July, emergency services were called to reports of a fire at Higher Tunshill Farm, Milnrow. Sadly, emergency services discovered the body of a woman inside stables at the property. A male in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of murder and has since been bailed pending further investigation. A scene remains in place and enquiries are ongoing.”
The suspect, a man in his 40s, was arrested and subsequently released on bail. In the UK legal system, bail allows a suspect to be released from custody, usually subject to conditions, while the police continue their investigation before a decision is made on whether to charge the individual. Under current Home Office-approved procedures, such bail is time-limited and subject to oversight to balance investigative needs with civil liberties.
Forensic Recovery and Site Status
Forensic investigators have remained on-site to examine the debris and collect evidence, including fire patterns, potential accelerant traces and structural damage that may indicate how the blaze developed. Large sections of the farm remain cordoned off to the public to preserve the integrity of the scene, and local residents have been advised to avoid the area while specialist teams work.
While the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service responded to the blaze, the agency has declined to provide a separate statement, citing the active police investigation and the standard practice of referring detailed comment to the lead investigative authority in suspected homicide cases.
The site is located near Carr Farm, the location of a 2022 incident involving the death of three-year-old Daniel Twigg. Authorities have clarified that the stables at Higher Tunshill Farm are not part of the Carr Farm property, stressing that the two sites are operationally separate and that the current investigation relates solely to the July 3 fire.
Forensic teams continue to process the scene while police enquiries remain ongoing. Officers have appealed for anyone who was in the Tunshill Lane area around the time of the fire, or who may have dashcam, doorbell or other video footage, to contact Greater Manchester Police or Crimestoppers anonymously, as investigators seek to piece together the events leading up to the woman’s death.