A man has been charged with the murder of Donald “Prentice” Patience after a thief stole a labradoodle from a home in Bury on Tuesday. 

Ian Gary Connell, 39, of Bolton, will appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday over the incident.

Greater Manchester Police said officers were called to reports of a burglary at a property in Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe, at about 10.30am on Aug 22 where they found the body of Mr Patience, 45.

The force said it has now been established Mr Patience “had been dead for several days” although his cause of death is still being investigated.

Two other men, aged 27 and 41, were arrested on suspicion of murder but have been bailed pending further inquiries.

Mr Patience’s loved ones described him as “a much-loved son, brother and father” who “will be sorely missed by many”.

The suspected dog thief is thought to have taken the labradoodle to a grooming salon “for a haircut” moments after the owner was killed in a burglary gone wrong.

Mick Hewitson, 58, who runs the Dog Shop which is around 160 feet away from the scene of the crime, said: “I had only just opened up and this young man came in and asked me if I would do his dog for him, cut his hair.

“The dog was an off-white labradoodle. I’d never seen the man before but he seemed calm.

“He told me his boss had gone to Scotland and he wanted to get the dog’s hair cut while he was away.

“I’ve got a sore shoulder and the dog was a big thing so I told him I couldn’t do it at the moment.

“Probably about 30 minutes later I looked outside and that same man was being arrested and the police were looking after the same dog.”

The labradoodle is now being looked after by the relevant authority, police said.

Mr Patience’s ex-wife, Kirsty Leigh Banks, paid tribute to her former partner describing him as “an amazing father who adored his children”.