TWO people were being held in police custody last night after they were arrested on suspicion of murder following the discovery of a body at a flat in an Essex town.

Elliot Furniss

TWO people were being held in police custody last night after they were arrested on suspicion of murder following the discovery of a body at a flat in an Essex town.

The pair were being quizzed by detectives in connection with the death of a man in his 50s whose body was found by ambulance crews at about 2am yesterday morning after the emergency services were called to a property in Military Road, Colchester.

The man, who has yet to be named by police, was found to have multiple injuries.

A post-mortem examination is set to take place today to establish the cause of death and police are still trying to trace the man's next of kin in order to carry out a formal identification.

Last night, a police spokesman said: “Following the discovery of a man's body at a flat in Military Road, Colchester, at around 2am this morning two people have now been arrested.

“Police arrested the two people on suspicion of murder at premises in the Old Heath area of the town at around 10.30am.

“The 34-year-old man, of no fixed address, and a 33-year-old woman, from Colchester, will be questioned by detectives.”

One shocked member of staff at News Plus, a nearby corner shop, said the victim would come in at least once on most days to buy bottles of cider and tins of food.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “I saw him only yesterday evening at about 6pm. He was a regular customer.

“We have had lots of people coming in and asking 'what's going on?' but we don't know.”

One man who lived below the flat where the body was found, which was still cordoned off by police yesterday afternoon, said he was in a deep sleep throughout the night but woke up to find police officers working outside his front door.

The man, who asked not to be identified, said: “I came out at about 6.30am and they blocked me and told me I wasn't allowed out as there was a problem.

“I just had to stay in before they finally let me out at about half eleven.”

The victim is thought to have lived alone and was described as being “friendly” and a “nice guy”.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact detectives at Colchester Police Station on 0300 3334444.