Brother speaks about loss of '˜best friend' after Shankill body find

Andy Bell, 30, was found at a house in the Paris Street, off Snugville Street, roughly halfway up the Shankill.

It emerged on Monday morning that the discovery of his body had been made at around 2am on Sunday.

The police had failed to release any details of the incident on Sunday, despite manning a police cordon at the house, and news of it only surfaced much later.

Keith Bell told the News Letter: “Andy is my only brother; there is only a year between us.

“We were like twins. We were best friends. Always fought as kids but grew up to be best friends, and support the same football team – Chelsea FC.”

He added: “Andy always liked wee parties and drinking, but I didn’t, but [in every other] way we were the same person.”

Police confirmed on Monday that his death was not suspicious.

But the exact cause of his death was not known by Keith as of about 7pm on Monday night.

There had been rumours that he had been stabbed.

But DUP councillor Brian Kingston said that police had told him there is nothing to suggest that was the case – although officers had initially treated it as suspicious “as a matter of routine”.

He said: “I’m aware this is a terrible tragedy for the family of this man. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Shankill community are with them at this very sad time.”