Capped off pipes in kitchen ceiling

[slipstream86]

Hi

I'm DIY decorating a kitchen from a 1950s UK semi-detached ex-council house that was badly in need of a refresh.

There's a pipe box in one corner of the room that has two capped off ends coming down through the kitchen ceiling. Can someone tell me what they're likely to be? And why they have been capped here rather than done out of sight between the ceiling and upstairs floor boards? Ideally I would like to cut the pipes back and remove the box if they're not connected to anything.

In the adjacent living room, there was an old standard issue council house gas fire and behind that a back boiler, that has now been safely disconnected by a plumber. The boiler had already been replaced to a more modern combi system.

Thanks

 

[gas112]

possibility they are still connected and just capped off
Remove the box and loosen them off a bit see if they weep if not loosen a bit more at a time