SCOTLAND Yard's missing persons bureau is trying to solve the Burnley body in the river mystery.

Police forces throughout the country are being asked to check their missing persons' records and a national press appeal is also being made in an effort to identify the man whose badly decomposed body was found in the River Calder in the town centre on Saturday.

Police in Burnley have issued photographs of his black Penn Athletic T-shirt which was only in circulation for three to four months in 1996 and retailed at £35.

Inside the shirt was another label relating to a plain orange T-shirt for 11 to 12 year-olds.

He was also wearing a beige, possibly checked overshirt size 43-44 with a New Shirt Collection label showing a picture of a gondola at the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.

Det Insp Ron Griffiths said: "So far we have been unable to trace the manufacturers which seems to signify it is not a major brand.''

The man was also wearing blue Wrangler jeans and a bluey-purple sock with a burgundy Paisley pattern.

There was no belt and no shoes have been found.

The man was aged between 40-50, 5ft 9ins tall, and had undergone a replacement hip operation. Inquiries are still being made to find out which hospital carried out the operation. Dental records are also being checked.

Tests have been unable to establish the cause of death but police say there are no suspicious circumstances at this stage.

The man probably disappeared over the last six to 12 months and may have been a loner or a vagrant.

Burnley CID can be contacted on 01282 425001.

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