POLICE are appealing for a mystery Crimestoppers caller to come forward following claims that a man's Christmas Eve death may not have been suicide.

Robert Varma, 32, was found lying dead on a bed at his semi-detached home in Lodge Court, Staining, on December 24 after his ex-girlfriend, Rachel Miller, raised the alarm.

Initial evidence suggested that the trained nurse had taken his own life in what police described as a 'professional suicide' by injecting lethal quantities of the drug diazanine into his right arm and thigh by intravenous drip.

Other drug paraphernalia including a tourniquet and a quantity of sodium chloride were also found by his bedside, alongside a note addressed to Ms Miller.

It was also known that Mr Varma had taken the breakdown of his relationship badly and, prior to his death, had told Ms Miller that he did not know how he would get through Christmas without her.

Police launched an investigation into the death after an anonymous call to the Crimestoppers crime prevention line on January 10, suggested suspicious circumstances. But at an inquest on Monday, March 10, Inspector Pat Gill made an appeal for the unidentified witness to come forward again after the investigation proved to be fruitless.

Inspector Gill said: "There was no evidence of foul play or of any struggle taking place at the scene and it seems to have been a professional suicide.

"But the Crimestoppers caller made some quite serious allegations about Mr Varma's death in that it was not all it seemed at the scene and police should investigate it further.

"If this person has any further information they should get back in touch with the Crimestoppers helpline or the police."

Blackpool coroner, Samuel Lee, has set a case review for two weeks time in the hope that further information will come to light.

Mr Lee said: "We'll have to wait and see if this person will come forward once again.

"If not, and following information given by Mr Varma's ex-girlfriend and friends about how upset he was prior to his death, we will have to conclude this was a straightforward case of suicide."