DETECTIVES trying to unravel the riddle behind the death of a teenager, whose body was found in a Leyland park, say they will not be able to identify him until tomorrow (Friday) at the earliest.

The boy, believed to be aged 15 or 16, was found hanging from a tree in parkland off Western Drive, Leyland, today (Thursday) by a woman walking her dogs.

Police say they are not treating the death as suspicious and do not believe there is a criminal motive. So far they have been unable to identify the youth, saying they will have to wait until someone reports a teenager missing.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "Officers couldn't find any personal belongings.

"It is a riddle to us at the moment because we will have to wait for someone to report a teenager missing and see if we can make the link."

The body was found hanging from a tree in a secluded part of the open land, which is used mostly by people walking their dogs, at 7.26am this morning (Thursday). He was hanging from a tree with a blue nylon rope noose around his neck. The rope is believed to have been part of a make-shift rope swing, used by local children.

Western Drive residents say they are not surprised a death has occurred, claiming the area is now a no-go zone for people after dark.

One resident told the Citizen the area was a regular haunt for youngsters drinking and abusing solvents.

She said: "Last week I saw a boy who had his head in a bag, sniffing solvents. Aerosol cans were around his feet. You don't like to approach people like that because you don't know how they will react.

"Children are on here every night."

Another resident, who was walking his dog last night, said: "At about 7.45pm I was walking my dog when I saw the silhouette of a young person fumbling around in the bushes. It scared me because it was dark. This morning, when I saw the police, I thought it could have be the same lad."

Robert Billington, of Bannister Drive, on the neighbouring Broadfield estate, in Leyland, has been walking dogs on the woodland area for more than 30 years.

He said: "It is shocking news. Nothing like this has ever happened before as far as I know. It's tragic."

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