Torso found in Salford woodland was a man, police say

Greater Manchester Police said officers were continuing to search Kersal Wetlands for evidence

Human remains which were found in a secluded woodland were those of a man who was "likely to be aged older than 40" and had "only been deceased for a matter of days", police have said.

A torso was found wrapped in plastic by a passer-by in Kersal Wetlands, Salford, on Thursday evening, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

A representative said specialists were carrying out DNA tests to identify him.

Ch Supt Tony Creely said the "tragic case" was "moving at pace".

He said a murder investigation was continuing and forensic tests had confirmed that the victim was "a man who could not have survived".

'Devastating'

He said that "so far, nothing further than the human remains... have been found" and there remained "a number of unknowns" in the case.

He said inquiries would "take time", but "at the heart of our investigation is this man and his family".

"We are using all forensic techniques available to identify him as soon as we can so we are able to support his loved ones during this devastating time."

Thanking locals for their co-operation, he added that the presence of officers and specialist teams had "caused disruption in the local area, and may continue to for some time yet, but we value any information [the public] have been able to pass to us".