Body found in burnt out car

Police in Lancashire say the body found in a burnt out car near Orrell is a man.

Detectives now believe there was no one else involved in his death though investigations are continuing.

So far the man has not been formally identified.

Lancashire Police have launched an investigation after a body was found in a burnt out car near to Orrell.

They were alerted shortly before 9am by a dog walker to a reports of the burnt out Ford Focus on a farm track behind Upholland High School, off Sandbrook Road.

On arrival officers say they discovered a badly burnt body in the front driver’s seat and it is unclear at this stage whether the body is that of a man or a woman.

Investigations into how the car came to be on fire are at an early stage, and police would like to hear from anyone who has any information about the car and how it came to be where it is.

The vehicle is an old style two-door Ford Focus with five spoke alloy wheels and a larger than usual exhaust.

Police are especially keen to hear from anyone who recognises the description of the car or has seen anything suspicious relating to it; if they saw or heard anything suspicious in the area during the evening of Tuesday and Wednesday morning;

if they frequent the local area or saw anything on fire on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.

Detectives say at this time it has not been possible to determine any details about the body inside the vehicle, and the death is currently being treated as unexplained.