Mystery surrounds discovery of body on side of the road in Woolpit

Elmswell Road in Woolpit remains cordoned off as police investigate the scene of an unexplained death. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

And as the road remained shut, more than 24 hours after it was discovered by what is thought to have been a dog walker, police made further appeals for help in trying to identify the body.

Officers from Suffolk Constabulary were called at 1.50pm on Monday to reports a man’s body had been discovered in Elmswell Road, Woolpit, past the cricket club ground and near to Rectory Lane.

They said that the death is currently being treated as unexplained and were unable to confirm if the man had any identification on him as it was part of their investigation.

They did, however, release a description of the deceased man. He is described as being a white male, over the age of 50 and approximately 5ft tall with short, fair hair, clean shaven and was wearing a hearing aid in his right ear.

Some villagers said the body was found down a bank on the side of the road on farmland raising suspicions that he had been dumped from a passing vehicle.

Meanwhile, those living locally have had to make a detour to gain access to the village from the A14 by driving along the A1088 towards Norton and taking the first left back across the A14 to link up with The Street and into Woolpit.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said that nobody had been reported missing that matched the man’s descripion and added: “Inquiries are still ongoing and we still want to hear from people who have any information about the body and its discovery who can help us.”

District and county councillor for the village Jane Storey said: “Some people initially thought it was a man who lived locally but that is not the case and it’s a complete mystery.

“It must have been a big shock to the poor person who found the body and I sympathise with them and to the family of the man. There is speculation locally that it was someone who was drunk and fell over or maybe got clipped by a passing vehicle.”

Paul Gort, landlord at The Bull Inn, said his customers were mystified over the discovery and added: “It’s a complete mystery who the man is and we have not heard anything.”

At the Murco petrol station Vana Lindam, the manager, said: “After the police came we thought there had been a bad accident but we too are mystified about the body.”

And a spokesman for Goldstar Transport added: “We have heard nothing at all about the body and it’s a mystery to all of us. We are not missing any staff and I suspect it’s someone who has been hit by passing traffic.”

Anyone that has any information that might identify the deceased man, or has any other information to assist the investigation, should call Suffolk Constabulary on 101, quoting reference number 301 of Monday, January 1.