Ballycastle deaths: Carbon monoxide ruled out in Kenneth and Rita Boughey investigation

An elderly couple who were found dead in Ballycastle, County Antrim, last week did not die as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, police have said.

The bodies of Kenneth and Rita Boughey were discovered at their home in the Abbey development on Thursday night.

Ch Insp Mark McClarence said post mortem examinations "ruled out" carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause of death.

He said the deaths "continue to be treated as unexplained" as police await further toxicology test results.

Mr Boughey, 68, and Mrs Boughey, 79, were originally from Liverpool but had lived in Ballycastle for 10 years.

It is believed that the pensioners may have been dead for a number of weeks before their bodies were discovered.

The alarm was raised by Mrs Boughey's son on Thursday, and the police, fire and ambulance services were called to the scene.