A murder investigation was under way last night after an 86-year-old war veteran was stabbed to death in his Bradford home.

The body of the man, named locally as widower Alan Pedder, was found by his nephew, who alerted emergency services.

The grim discovery was made on Saturday morning but West Yorkshire Police did not reveal details of Mr Pedder’s death until yesterday.

The murder investigation is being led by Detective Superintendent Bill Shackleton, of the force’s Homicide and Major Enquiry team, who was not available for comment yesterday.

A post-mortem examination, held on Sunday, revealed the victim had died of stab wounds.

Neighbours said Mr Pedder lived alone at the house in Gibson Street, Laisterdyke, after his wife died around 25 years ago, and he had served in the Army.

A 43-year-old Bradford man has been arrested in connection with the incident and remained in police custody last night. Detectives have been granted a custody extension by Bradford magistrates which expires today.

Officers carried out a search of an apartment in Currer Street, Little Germany, yesterday in connection with the murder inquiry.

An alleyway at the back of the house in Gibson Street was cordoned off yesterday while operational support officers carried out searches in the garden and outside nearby properties.

Residents spoke of their shock at the sudden death of a quiet but friendly neighbour.

Father-of-four Sayed Ali, 51, who lived next door to him, said: “He was a very private person. He loved the children, he was very friendly towards them. He used to talk to them and waved to them when he was going out.

“I’m very shocked at what’s happened, he was a very good, nice person. He wouldn’t harm anyone. The children are asking what’s happened to him. We used to talk about our gardens and the weather. His nephew used to come every Saturday to bring shopping for him. The first I knew of what had happened was when police knocked on my door on Saturday morning and later his nephew told me he was dead.”

Natasha Miran, 18, who lives nearby, said: “He was friendly, he would smile at us when we were going to college. We would see him doing his gardening all the time. We didn’t speak much but he seemed really nice. Our street’s really quiet, nothing like this really happens here.”

Imran Khalid, co-owner of Jimmy’s Off Licence in Leeds Road, said Mr Pedder was a regular customer.

He added: “He was a very nice guy. I’m shocked. He used to come in three shops, my shop, the fisheries and the barbers. He was a very quiet and good man. He came in on the 27th and was dead on the 28th.”

Several employees at Victor Manufacturing, opposite the man’s house, also knew him.

One of them, Michael Richardson, said: “You couldn’t have asked for a nicer bloke. I didn’t think he had any bother with anybody. He always wanted to do his best for people. He used to make plant pots for the street. He liked his garden. If he wanted wood or cardboard boxes he used to come to us and we’d give them to him. It’s bad when something like this happens on your doorstep. It’s disgusting.”

Kamran Hussain, who works at Leeds Road fisheries, said: “I’m so shocked. He was a top guy, he was a friend of mine. He was one of our regulars and I’d help carry shopping for him from over the road if I saw him struggling, he walked with a stick sometimes.

“He came in just before noon the day they found him. He seemed normal not worried or anything, he was just his usual self.”

Police have urged anyone with information which could help the inquiry to contact them on 0845 6060606, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.