A MAN in his 50s was found dead on Christmas Eve on a town centre residential street.

The grim discovery was reported by a resident at around 7.30am on Gillibrand Walks, Chorley.

Police said they were treating it as a “serious incident” and immediately sealed off the whole of Gillibrand walks along with sections of Carrington Road, Hamilton Road and Regent Road.

A police spokesman, said: “Around 7.30am on Tuesday, December 24 police received a call from a member of the public reporting that they had found the body of a man lying in the street on Gillibrand Walks.

“The man is believed to be aged in his 50s and his death is currently being treated as unexplained. A post mortem examination will be carried out later this afternoon to try and establish how the man died.

Gillibrand Walks and the other areas were sealed of until around noon as a forensic team in full white body suits combed the area.

Gillibrand Walks resident Mark Adams said he had seen the body when he woke this morning.

He said: “I heard a bang outside during the night around 3.30am but thought little of it as we often get shouting and people making noise outside.

“When I looked out this morning I saw someone lying close to a car near the pavement. At first I thought it was someone repairing the vehicle.

“The police and ambulance turned up very quickly and the street’s been sealed off ever since.”

Police have not yet released the identity of the person found.