By Danielle NuttallCrime CorrespondentA MAJOR investigation was launched last night into a mysterious death after the body of a man was found in the road in Dovercourt.

By Danielle Nuttall

Crime Correspondent

A MAJOR investigation was launched last night into a mysterious death after the body of a man was found in the road in Dovercourt.

Detectives were called to the seafront area of the resort following the discovery of the body of a man aged in his 30s.

Police said it was not clear last night whether the man had died after having been pushed out or fallen from a car, or whether he had been hit by a vehicle.

The body was found in Marine Parade, just off Dovercourt town centre and overlooking the beach, at 6.30pm yesterday.

Essex Police launched a major inquiry into the man's death - which they were treating as suspicious - and sealed off the area as they carried out investigations at the scene.

Residents claimed the man had been seen falling out of a moving car, which did not stop at the scene. Police were called when it was discovered the man lying in the road had died.

It is thought a car was later found abandoned in an area of Harwich, but no arrests are understood to have been made.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said last night: “A man believed to be in his 30s was found dead in the road in Marine Parade.

“There's a suggestion he has either come from a vehicle in that he had fallen out or been pushed out or been hit by a vehicle.

“It's too early to say what at the moment. We are treating it as suspicious until we know otherwise.”

The identity of the man has not been released and the police spokeswoman said no other information on the incident was available last night.

danielle.nuttall@eadt.co.uk