POLICE are trying to piece together the final movements of a Darwen man found dead at his home.

Father-of-three Mark Abbott, 42, was discovered in his house, in Heys Lane, by a friend on Thursday afternoon.

Detectives have been unable to rule out a suspicious cause and have appealed for witnesses who may have seen Mr Abbott to come forward.

He was last spotted on Tuesday, June 2, and officers want to establish what, if anything, happened to him between then and the discovery of his body two days later.

They have released a picture of Mr Abbott in an attempt to jog peoples' memories.

He is known to have gone into The Cock and The Bob Inn pubs, both in Duckworth Street, Darwen, the weekend before his death.

Detective Inspector Marie Haworth, of Blackburn CID, said: "There is not necessarily anything sinister which has happened to Mr Abbott but we do need to piece together his movements in the days before he was found and I would appeal to anyone who may have seen him or have any information to contact us."

A post-mortem examination has been carried out but police are waiting for the results of further tests to try to establish a cause of death.

Michael Singleton, Her Majesty's senior coroner for Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, has been informed of Mr Abbott's death and an inquest is due to be opened on June 16.

Mr Abbott lived alone but does have family and friends in the town.

DI Haworth added: "I have no doubt that he was well-known in the area and will be recognised by people who frequent those pubs. The pubs are where he was last seen on the Tuesday.

"At this stage is it not being treated as suspicious: it is an unexplained death but we are keeping an open mind."

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting log number 0553 of June 4.