The arrests of 17-year-old boy and 39-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender come after police revealed Paul Begley died after having his throat slashed from ear to ear. Dog walkers discovered Paul Begley’s body on Saturday morning on a canal bridge in Woodend Lane, Hyde, Tameside — more than 20 miles from A post-mortem examination revealed the 43- year-old died after being stabbed in the neck.

Mr Begley, of Daffodil Road, had been stabbed several times in the stomach and abdomen.

Detectives have also been given more time to question a 38-year-old man from Stockport and 31-year-old woman from Wellington Street in Farnworth, arrested on suspicion of murder.

A police spokesman said: “He was slit from ear to ear, and also had stab wounds to his stomach and abdomen.

“It is understood that there had been a dispute between Mr Begley and a man arrested at a house in Reddish, Stockport, where the stabbing is believed to have taken place. Mr Begley’s body was then driven to the canal bridge in Hyde and dumped.

“It is thought that took place within hours of his death.”

A 38-year-old man from Reddish was arrested shortly after Mr Begley’s body was found.

And at 10.30am on Sunday, officers went to Wellington Street in Farnworth to arrest a 31-year-old woman, who is believed to be a mother-of-two.

Police are keeping a 24- hour guard on her house.

Neighbours who saw her arrest said her two children and her pets were also taken away by the authorities on Sunday.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s a shame. Her kids are very nice.”

Another said: “We wondered why there are so many police in the street.

Everyone’s been asking what’s going on. We never expected anything like this.”

Forensic detectives were also seen entering the woman’s house, and several large boxes were taken from the address by officers.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward, and are particularly interested in speaking to someone who was running near the canal and wearing a head torch on Saturday morning.

Yesterday, a single bunch of flowers had been left at the bridge where Mr Begley’s body was found.