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Mystery man found dead in Dorset woods near tent with family photos inside

Police appeal for anyone who recognises people in images to come forward

Lydia Patrick
Wednesday 08 November 2023 13:58 GMT
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These photos were discovered next to the corpse of the unidentified man
These photos were discovered next to the corpse of the unidentified man (Dorset Police)

Police trying to identify a man who was found dead near a tent in the woods have released family photos from a diary discovered with him.

The man’s body was found in Goathorn Woods, in Studland, on 1 July this year, close to the tent and book containing family photos.

Dorset Police have not yet worked out who the man is and have now released photos from the diary in a bid to identify him.

One of the images shows a middle-aged man with younger children holding a trophy together, while others show a dog and a man sitting in a garden chair.

The force, which is not treating the man’s death as suspicious, has urged anyone who recognises people in the images to come forward.

Police constable Stuart Wilson, of Wareham Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We have been carrying out enquiries on behalf of the coroner, including DNA checks, but so far we have not been able to work out an identity for the man.

“This is a very sad incident and we are keen to follow all lines of enquiry available to us so that the man can be identified and his family can be made aware.

“A tent was located near to where the body was found, which contained a diary with images inside. We are now issuing the images to the public in a bid to find out if anyone recognises the people in the pictures as this may lead us to identifying the man.

“If you have any information that may assist our efforts, please get in contact with us.”

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