Council hunting for empty home's owners find them 10,000 miles away

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The housing team at Wigan Council have rivalled TV’s Heir Hunters in their pursuit that took them to Australia to find the owner of an empty home.

Following reports of an empty property in Leigh, council officers were able to find, identify and work with an owner who it turned out lived 10,000 miles away in Australia.

After the death of their next of kin, the person in question had not realised that they now owned a house in the borough. The home is now in the process of being brought back into use for a local family. READ MORE : Home Bargains want to build town's third store at B&Q site...

but owners want the DIY shop to stay put It is one of 4,000 empty homes in Wigan that the housing team say they are determined to bring back into use for locals.