The woman was described as “wonderful and kind” by her best friend and neighbour
17:23, 14 Jul 2025Updated 19:36, 14 Jul 2025
A mum found dead at her home in Maghull was named locally as Phyllis Daly
A mum found dead at home as police launched a murder probe was described as “wonderful and kind” by her neighbour. Merseyside Police officers were called to Clent Road in Maghull at around 1.10pm on Sunday, July 13 following reports a woman in her 70s had been found with significant injuries inside a house.
Emergency services attended the scene but the woman, named locally as Phyllis Daly, was pronounced dead. A 44-year-old man, who is understood to have known the victim, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and he remains in custody to be questioned.
Following the tragic news, neighbour Brenda Tanner paid tribute to the 70-year-old who she described as her best friend.
Brenda, 81, told the ECHO: “She was wonderful, she was absolutely wonderful. I’m going to miss her so much. Every day she was in here. She’d always ask what I wanted from the shop, she looked after me really well.
“She was very helpful and very giving, she worried more about others than she did herself. She was just wonderful.”
Brenda said she has known Phyllis for around 50 years. In a photo shared with the ECHO, Phyllis is pictured sat with Brenda at the neighbour’s 80th birthday just over 18 months ago.
Scientific support on Clent Road in Maghull
Scientific support officers remained at the scene in Maghull this afternoon, with officers in white suits seen coming and going from the address.
A file has been passed to the coroner’s office for Sefton, St Helens and Knowsley.
Detective Chief Inspector Alan Nuttall said: “Our thoughts first and foremost are with the woman’s family and they will be fully supported by specialist officers in the coming days and weeks.
“The community too will feel the shock and upset of this incident, and officers remain at the scene to hopefully provide reassurance and help carry out the initial stages of the investigation.
“Detectives will continue to gather witness statements and forensic evidence to establish a full understanding of what took place.
“We are in the very early stages of our investigation but this is currently being treated as a domestic incident in which the suspect and victim knew each other, and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with it.
“Thankfully we were swiftly able to make an arrest following the incident. Although we have a suspect in custody, we are still appealing for anyone with information to come forward.”
Anyone with information on this incident should contact Merseyside Police social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ quoting 25000576112.. You can also report information via the force’s website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously