Mr Dodd was stabbed at least 10 times

A man sought in connection with a frenzied knife murder has been detained at a secure unit under the Mental Health Act, police have revealed.

Brian Dodd, 72, was found killed in a car park at Ffrith Beach in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, last week.

North Wales Police have been carrying out forensic tests and reviewing CCTV tapes and have searched the Festival Gardens area after the attack, which shocked the community.

Following their Monday discovery, they will have to make an application before they are allowed to interview the suspect, who has not been named.

Dogs

A man walking his dog discovered Mr Dodd's body lying behind his heavily bloodstained Y-registration silver Mitsubishi Charisma car.

The murder took place near Ffrith beach festival gardens

The retired accountant's own two dogs were next to his body.

Mr Dodd had been married to his wife Enid for 10 years and had stepchildren.

He had dropped his wife at Rhuddlan community centre at 0920 GMT and arrived at the Festival Gardens at 1145 GMT.

Officers want to know where he was during the rest of the morning.

Motiveless

Superintendent Peter Ackerley said the attack was horrific and appeared motiveless.

"This is the worst attack I have seen in 30 years as a police officer, the injuries were significant and covered Mr Dodd's head and body," he said.

Police appealed for anyone who was in the Festival Gardens car park at the time of the murder to come forward.

And officers have stepped up patrols in the area to help ease local people's fears.