How long will this one get ?

Uncle held over stabbing to death of girl aged 12

The uncle of a 12-year-old girl was being held on suspicion of murder tonight after his niece’s body was found in a bedroom at his house.

Tia Rigg, a Manchester United fan who is thought to have been visiting her uncle to watch her team’s televised Premier League match against Chelsea on Saturday, was discovered with multiple stab wounds. She had also been strangled.

John Maden, 37, was arrested after police were called to the end-of-terrace council house in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester on Saturday afternoon. Neighbours described him as a loner who “had no mates”.

Detectives are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination and have refused to discuss whether the girl was found fully-clothed or had suffered any internal injuries.

Locals said that the girl, who had stab wounds to her chest and neck, was initially found by her grandmother and an aunt who rushed to the house after the alarm was raised. They were seen leaving in floods of tears.

Tia’s mother, Lynn Rigg, 35, is understood to be separated from Tia’s father, Lee Rigg. When she arrived at her brother’s home she was heard to scream “Why, why, why?” before collapsing outside the property on the rundown Dudley Brew council estate.