Birmingham canal mystery: Police try to identify man found dead 14 years ago

Police have issued an e-fit image as part of an appeal to identify a man found dead in a Birmingham canal 14 years ago.

At around 8am on Thursday 4 November in 2010, the unknown man’s body was discovered in the Fazeley Canal near to Wheelwright Road and Tyburn Road, Erdington, by a passerby.

Thought to be in his 50s, he was wearing a dark coloured jumper with white horizontal stripes, black shoes (with Velcro fasteners), and brown socks, police say.

He was 5ft 7ins tall, with stubble and greying brown collar-length hair.

Enquiries were carried out in the area at the time but 14 years on, police are no clearer on who the man was.

Detective Constable Darryl Towle, from the Unresolved Missing Persons Investigation team, said: “Despite all of our hard work, this is one of our longest-running cases.

“Our aim is always to find out who these people are to help them, their families and friends, find peace.

“A post-mortem examination found that the man died from drowning and an inquest was held which allowed him to be laid to rest. But that’s all we know about him.

“He had no identification on him, he did not match the description of any missing people and he has never been reported missing.

“14 years on we’re still determined to find out who he was and trace any family or friends.”

Anyone who recognises the man, is asked to contact the force, quoting reference: PID: 33246.