Kenneth Battersby: 'Doting' dad tragically found dead with toddler had left Sheffield to start a new life

A 'doting' father found dead in a flat alongside his two-year-old son had left Sheffield to start a new life, his family has said.

Kenneth Battersby and his son Bronson Battersby were tragically found dead at their home in Skegness on January 9, after a social worker was let into the property by the landlord.

Bronson is believed to have died from dehydration and starvation after his father suffered a heart attack over Christmas.

Lincolnshire County Council is carrying out a 'rapid review' of attempts to check on Bronson, who it has confirmed was known to children's services and would typically be seen at least once a month by social workers.

Police and social services 'did what they could', says sister

Bronson's sister, Melanie Battersby, from Sheffield, has said she believes police and social services 'did what they could' and are not to blame for the tragedy.

But she welcomed the setting up of a local authority inquiry to assess whether there had been any failings.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she also paid tribute to her father, Kenneth, who she said had suffered another heart attack a few months before his death.

"I know how proud he was of every single one of us," she told the BBC. "He absolutely doted on (Bronson). I think he loved doing what he was doing for him.

'He tried his best for that little boy'

"Seeing him with him, it was really, really heart-warming. It made me proud of my dad for what he was doing for his little boy.

"He tried his best for that little boy until his last breath."

The 37-year-old added: "I believe that social services and the police did what they could within the powers that they had and the information that they were given.

"I’m glad that an inquiry is going to take place into whether there were any failings, missed opportunities. I’m really glad that is going to take place."

She told the BBC that she thought it 'must be devastating for them (police and social services) to work in that profession, to have to deal with tragedies like this'.

Dad 'didn't want to be a burden'

Kenneth's son Daniel told the Daily Mail his father was from Sheffield but had moved to Skegness nearly a decade ago, before meeting Bronson's mother, Sarah Piesse.

He told the paper that his dad had been planning to spend Christmas and the New Year with him but decided to stay in Skegness because his foot was bad and he 'didn't want to be a burden'.

He added: "He was worried about his heart and who would look after Bronson if he was in hospital but he did not want anyone worrying about him."

Daniel told the Daily Mail how Bronson had been found cuddling his father's leg and they were told he 'seemed at peace and he was not in any pain'. He said Bronson was 'always well fed and looked after'.

Dad left Sheffield 9 years ago

Daniel described how his father had moved to Skegness nine years ago and initially slept in a tent before getting his own place in the same building as Sarah.

"He had a saying Skegness was the end of the line and he never wanted to come back," he told the Daily Mail. "He spent all his life in Sheffield but all his problems were in Sheffield. So he moved away and started a family."

Lincolnshire County Council has said a social worker communicated with Mr Battersby on December 27 and arranged to visit on January 2, but there was no response when they arrived at the door.

The social worker 'made inquiries at other addresses where the child could be' and contacted the police, it said.

A second unannounced visit on January 4 also went unanswered, and Lincolnshire Police were contacted again.

Bronson's mother, Sarah Piesse, previously told The Sun she believed he would still be alive 'if social services had done their job'.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating Lincolnshire Police’s actions before Mr Battersby and his son were found.