A manhunt is underway after a man was found dead on a bench in Northamptonshire. Detectives are investigating and have issued a further appeal for witnesses. A murder inquiry was launched on Friday after the individual was found fatally injured near the River Nene in Northampton town centre. Northamptonshire Police said they were called by East Midlands Ambulance Service at about 6.30am, following the discovery of the man, who was in his 50s, on a bench near the canal footpath behind Auctioneers Court.

The force added: "A forensic postmortem examination is due to take place tomorrow, August 2, at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester." Police added on August 1: "The scene guard and police cordon remain in place, and the canal footpath between Trenery Way footpath at Wathen Wigg bridge and Becket’s Bridge remains closed at this time. Members of the public are advised to avoid this area while investigations continue."

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Torie Harrison, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: "Our investigation is continuing at pace and we have a dedicated team of officers working hard to establish the circumstances that have led to the man’s death.

“Our thoughts and condolences are firmly with his family at this time, and they are being supported by specially trained officers from the investigation team.

“Officers have been in the area today carrying out house-to-house enquiries and have spoken with a number of people.  However, we are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward, and we’re particularly keen to locate any CCTV or other camera footage of the nearby area."

They added: “There are a large number of apartments that overlook the river and the area near to where the man was found, and anyone from these residences, or anywhere else nearby, who may have camera footage or any other information, is urged to contact police as soon as possible. Any information, no matter how small, can help us piece together exactly what happened.

“We will continue to have an increased police presence in the area, and neighbourhood officers will be carrying out high-visibility patrols throughout the weekend to offer reassurance and support the community. If you have any concerns, please do speak to an officer.”