DETECTIVES are still trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the deaths of an elderly couple whose bodies were found at their Totton home.

A post-mortem examination yesterday showed that William White and his wife June died of natural causes, but failed to establish why their deaths occurred at approximately the same time.

Now specialist tests will be carried out on the bodies in a bid to shed more light on the couple's last moments.

One of the theories surrounding the double tragedy is that Mr and Mrs White may have been poisoned by fumes from a gas appliance.

Representatives from two gas safety organisations, Transco and Corgi, visited the couple's semi-detached bungalow at St Michael's Road shortly after their bodies were discovered last Friday. Another possibility is that one of the pensioners was taken ill after finding the other dead.

A police spokesman said today: "The result of the post-mortem is that Mr and Mrs White appear to have died of natural causes.

"There is no evidence of any third party involvement.

"However, because they were found dead in the same place at the same time, histology and toxicology tests will now be carried out.

"We won't know the results of those for another couple of weeks."

Mr White, 78, and his 74-year-old wife are understood to have lived at Netley Marsh before moving to Totton several years ago.

Mrs White was a worshipper at St Winfrid's Church in Salisbury Road, Totton.

The vicar, the Rev Paul Bayes, said: "They were a lovely couple.

"Mrs White made herself known to me as soon as they moved into the area. She came to church occasionally and was a valued member of the community.

"Her husband was also very pleasant, but kept himself more to himself."

Mr and Mrs White were members of Totton and District Gardeners' Society, which meets at the Three Score Club in Library Road.

A club spokesman said: "They had lived in the Totton area for some time and must have been members of our society for ten years or more.

"They visited our autumn show on September 13 but were not among the exhibitors and just came to have a look around."

The spokesman said the couple were not active members of the organisation.

He added: "They hadn't been to our monthly meetings for about 18 months and it may even have been as long as two years.

"I don't think they had any close friends in the society. They were always very pleasant, but didn't socialise and kept themselves to themselves.

"Mr White in particular was always quite quiet."

Detectives are attempting to trace people who knew the couple and may be able to help them unlock the mystery surrounding their deaths.

A police spokesman said: "We are still looking into their background but believe Mrs White was a hairdresser in the Totton area and kept on working well past her retirement date.

"She and her husband appear to have spent a lot of time in their garden, which was very well kept."