Police appeal after body of man found in Bideford river
BBCPolice have appealed for public assistance to help identify the body of a man found in north Devon.
The body was found in the River Torridge in Bideford, on Monday, Devon and Cornwall Police said.
Officers said they needed help identifying the man, who was white and aged between 50 and 60, so his next of kin could be informed.
They added that known local missing people had already been eliminated from their inquiries.
Police were called to the scene of the discovery at about 14:15 BST on Monday.
Putty in ears
In their description, officers said the man had blue eyes and was of slim build, with receding, greying hair, and a brown but greying neat beard.
He had on several layers of clothes, including an outer coat of several shades of blue over a black zip-up fleece, a blue wool jumper and a white and brown plaid shirt.
He wore dark blue trousers, tied with a cord over blue jeans, and black work boots.
He also had putty in his ears "as possible protection against loud noise", police said.
Det Sgt Ben Cartwright, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "While we remain open-minded as to who he is, from the clothing and the ear plugs, it is possible he was operating or working on some sort of machinery - be it a boat, or some sort of local industry."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police, quoting log 396 of 27/03/23.
