A PENSIONER found dead at his sheltered accommodation should have been visited more regularly by wardens, his family said last night.

Neville Pullen’s body was discovered at Knights House, in Risinghurst, Oxford, on Monday, February 14, but he had not been seen since Saturday.

Now his family is calling for more regular checks on people in sheltered accommodation after daily visits were axed in October.

Mr Pullen’s daughter, Kim Cox, said that if the old system was in place her father’s body may have been discovered sooner.

She said: “What happened to my dad could have happened anywhere. What it has highlighted is that without checks, in these supposedly warden-controlled flats, it could happen again.”

A post mortem revealed Mr Pullen, 72, died of a pulmonary embolism, although an exact time or date of death could not be specified.

Oxford City Council used to make visits every day to residents, until the contract was taken over in October. Now Oxford City Housing Association (OCHA) carries out the work on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council.

County council spokesman Marcus Mabberley explained how the system had changed.

He said: “The numbers of visits from support workers may vary per person based on their individual assessed needs. OCHA carried out two visits a week to Mr Pullen.

“Mr Pullen had an alarm fitted in his property which could be used to summon help in an emergency. This alarm was not activated.”

In 2009, the Oxford Mail reported pensioners’ concerns over plans to change the warden system.

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said at the time: “It’s a cost cutting measure which will turn out to be a false economy in the longer term, as well as giving a poorer service.”

It took three hours for anyone to get into Mr Pullen’s flat after the alarm was raised on Monday, as a key had to be collected from the city council, which is still the landlord.

City spokesman Louisa Dean said: “People who live in sheltered accommodation can give a spare key to a warden for their use or for emergency use. Mr Pullen did not use this service.”

But Mrs Cox, 47, explained her father was only ever given one key to his home, so did not have a spare for the warden, and was also told he could not get a spare cut.

She said: “We were waiting for three hours to get into dad’s flat. Maybe he could still be alive if people had been able to get in.

“This could happen again. I am not blaming the wardens. It is out of their hands. But what if another elderly resident is left lying on the floor, unconscious, and no one can get in to help them?”

She said was now consulting a solicitor and working with residents at Knights House to get the authorities to review how many warden checks are made.

Mr Cox was Secretary of the Littlemore Pigeon Racing club.

Funeral director Mrs Cox, who will conduct her own father’s funeral, added: “He was a very active and popular man with a brilliant sense of humour.

The funeral takes place at Oxford Crematorium tomorrow at 2.15pm. All are welcome.