Blackpool hotel owner lay dead for four days while his 'friend' stole his life

Plus: Reaction to the government's winter fuel payments u-turn

The Blackpool Lead

and

Jamie Lopez

May 25, 2025

∙ Paid

Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead,

Luke is having a well-earned breather so it’s Ed and Jamie with you for this Bank Holiday weekend edition. We’ll start by saying it was great to see our original reporting on the The Talbot, which became the first Reform UK pub, being featured in the national edition of The Lead this week. It’s a powerful thing we’re able to do, taking our journalism from here in Blackpool up to more than 50,000 inboxes and more with our national newsletter.

To matters in Blackpool, a very disturbing case came to a conclusion this week - as Kevin Price’s murder saw Adam Saunders jailed. We reported on the scenes outside The Garfield Hotel back in November and as grisly details started to emerge it was clear this was a gut-wrenching crime.

The attack itself is shocking, how Saunders then left Price there while stealing his television, wearing his clothes and spending his money is also as shocking. As the footage released by police gives a glimpse into. The statement from Kevin’s sister Diane is difficult to read but very powerful.

We also look in this edition, for paying subscribers, at how Blackpool’s estimated 15,000 pensioners seeing the winter fuel payment cut may be breathing a sigh of relief. And what it means for Chris Webb, the Blackpool South MP, who has regularly said ‘town first, party second’. He’s been quick to point-out his actions last year.

And finally, before we also say a big well done to everyone who took part in the BIG Sleep Out 2025 for the Streetlife charity. A huge amount raised from an uncomfortable night on the cobbles.

A sickening and disturbing crime in Springfield Road saw a hotel owner stabbed 56 times

The police cordon at The Garfield Hotel in November last year Pic: The Blackpool Lead

The man who stabbed to death a Blackpool hotel owner in a frenzied attack has been jailed for life.

Adam Saunders, 51, of no fixed address, was a friend of Kevin Price who ran The Garfield Hotel in Springfield Road.

The family of 59-year-old Price who was found by police with 56 stab injuries have described being 'sickened' by what they heard at Preston Crown Court as Saunders was found guilty of murder and burglary.

What took place in Springfield Road - as a friend let himself in

On Thursday 7 November last year Kevin had been seen on CCTV returning to his home at the hotel from a neighbouring property.

Police say during the Thursday afternoon Saunders had messaged Kevin asking if he wanted some company. He had previously stolen a bag containing a bank card from Kevin and he was asked to return it by the hotel owner.

Saunders, who had described Price as being ‘like a father to him’, invited himself round to Kevin's home and attacked him.

A Home Office post mortem found Kevin had significant injuries to his neck, chest, back and other parts of his body. He had been stabbed 56 times.

Over the next 24-hours Saunders entered Kevin's home and stole his television as well as using his bank card to buy mobile phones and other items, as well as withdrawing cash. Saunders also wore Kevin's clothes while doing this - while his friend lay dead.

Footage, shown below, released by police shows Saunders callous actions.

He was accompanied on his spending spree by Helen Kenyon, 38, of Cheltenham Road, Blackpool. She was on Friday sentenced to six months for theft and fraud.

On Saturday 9 November Saunders booked a stay a local hotel. He was heard boasting about having access to money from a friend's credit card.

A friend of Kevin's who hadn't heard from him for a few days reported him missing on Sunday 10 November to police. This is when Kevin's body was found in the hotel and a murder investigation began with Saunders being arrested on suspicion of murder a week later and charged.

The sentence

Saunders pleaded guilty to theft and fraud offences and after an eight-day trial was unanimously found guilty of Kevin's murder and burglary.

He was given a life sentence and told he must serve a minimum of 32 years being he is eligible to apply for parole.

"It sickened me hearing all his lies, knowing full well what disgusting and inhumane things he did to our Kevin."

Kevin's sister Diane said in a victim impact statement during the trial: “Kevin was the most thoughtful, kind, warm and loving person anybody could wish to meet. I loved him so dearly and still do. I hold him in my heart, and I always will. He was always in my thoughts when he was alive as he is in death.”

“Kevin used to ask me to place flowers on our mum and dad's grave for him, which I did every time, however I now have to do it for us both and not separately. This breaks my heart.”

Speaking after the trial she said: “Having to sit and listen to that man give evidence is hard to describe. It sickened me hearing all his lies, knowing full well what disgusting and inhumane things he did to our Kevin.

“He took Kevin's life and then treated his property like his own. If he'd have respected Kevin like a father as he said in court this would never have happened, and he wouldn't have put all of us through the trial like he has. I now feel so relieved that we have finally got justice for our Kevin.

“I am truly devastated by what's happened, and I will always love my brother dearly. He will never be forgotten by all those that loved him. RIP Kevin.”

'A horrific and inhumane death'

DCI Simon Pritchard, of Lancashire Police's Force Major Investigation Team, said: “My thoughts today are with Kevin’s family and friends. Hopefully, they can now get some form of closure knowing the man responsible for Kevin’s horrific and inhumane death is now starting a considerable sentence.

“Saunders made them sit through a trial, hearing about Kevin’s final moments, and how he stole his life.

“Saunders invited himself round to Kevin’s home, where he frenziedly attacked him, in the place that Kevin was entitled to feel the safest. He abused the friendship that Kevin gave him. After taking Kevin’s life, he then took his belongings – stealing his money, clothes and other items all while Kevin lay lifeless in the home.

“No sentence will bring Kevin back to the people who loved him. They will go through the rest of their lives without him, because of Saunders’ brutality, however Saunders will now have a significant amount of time in custody to reflect on his actions that stole Kevin from his family.”

By Jamie Lopez

A total of £37,000 was raised for a charity which helps vulnerable young people when more than 100 people took part in a sleep out.

The BIG SleepOut 2025 sponsored by Beaverbrooks the Jewellers was the 10th annual sleepout organised by youth work charity Streetlife and saw 110 people spend the night on the cobbles of St Johns Square in Blackpool town centre.

Streetlife supports those in the town aged 16-25, many of whom are facing homelessness, and provides vital support and life skills. As well as sponsoring the event, Beaverbrooks double matched the £3,623 raised by colleagues who took part to add another £7,246.

Kim Hughes, Communications Manager at Streetlife said: “It was a wonderful night filled with camaraderie and community spirit, we even had local LGBTQIA+ choir Electric Pink Voices perform in a surprise pop up to celebrate reaching our 10th Big Sleepout which really brought everyone together

“Once the town goes quiet in the early hours of the morning and the temperature drops you really do have the time to reflect on just how traumatic it must be to have no safe place to call home.

“We guarantee that every participant leaves with a newfound gratitude for the basics which so many of us often take for granted during the daily hustle of everyday life”

In 2024 Streetlife provided emergency accommodation for 120 young people who found themselves without a safe place to sleep at their 8-bed emergency shelter. The charity operates from 2 locations; the Shelter in St Johns Square and their day centre, The Base on Buchanan St. The shelter is open 24/7, 365 days a year providing a bedroom, hot meal, showering facilities and intensive support for young people who are experiencing homelessness.

The Base, which saw over 320 individuals access last year, is open 5 days a week providing a free hot lunch along with an array of practical and emotional help, including access to mental health support with their on-site therapist. All young people in Blackpool and surrounding areas are welcome to visit the drop-in, no appointment or referral is needed.

Winter fuel payments u-turn is applauded by Labour MP