Benefits Street participant found dead on street where show filmed

A man who appeared on Benefits Street has been found dead on the street where the Channel 4 show was filmed.

Lee Nutley, who featured in the second series of the reality show, was pronounced dead by ambulance service staff at a house on Kingston Road, in Stockton on Monday.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called to an address on Kingston Road, Stockton, by ambulance service colleagues at around 5.40pm last night.

"A man in his 40s was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene and there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances. A file will therefore be prepared for the coroner."

A spokeswoman for North East Ambulance Service added: "I can confirm we were called to the Kingston Road area at 5.30pm yesterday and we despatched two services."

Mr Nutley was one of the residents of the street followed by cameras for the controversial documentary show.

In his biography on the Channel 4 website before the series aired last year, it said: "Lee relies on his next-door neighbour Julie and the other residents of Kingston Road more than ever. With every appliance in his home broken he can't even cook himself a meal.

"Lee has been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for the past year, living on £45 a week after being laid off by the construction company he worked for.

"Now Lee finds himself in a constant battle with both ill health and the benefits system.

"He has been 'sanctioned' for missing an appointment, a new government policy designed to encourage people off of benefits. He denies missing the appointment but his benefits have been cut anyway.

"He says: 'I've worked half my life, I've haven't just sat on my arse since leaving school, I've worked all over the country. I need to earn some dollars, it's no good walking the streets and that, I like work'."