Cricketer's appeal in bones mystery

Cricketer Virender Sehwag is a superstar in India

An Indian test cricketer has joined forces with police in the hope of identifying a man whose body was found in a Lancashire pond.

Virender Sehwag has recorded a taped appeal to be broadcast throughout India, where detectives believe the dead man may have come from originally.

The remains of the man were found in a pond off Back Lane, near Charnock Richard, in July 2002.

Scientists discovered he had lived in the West Midlands for the last 10 years of his life by analysing the water found in his body.

Police say he died from head injuries, probably the result of a deliberate attack, but have been unable to identify him.

Police believe the man may have lived in the West Midlands

Indian cricketers are treated as superstars in their homeland and police hope Mr Sehwag's popularity will ensure their appeal is heard.

Officers will also travel to the sub-continent to hold news conferences about their search in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), Gujarat and the Punjab.

Detective Superintendent Mick Turner said: "I am immensely grateful to Virender for his support and hope his appeal will be heard right across India.

"Even though we have no direct leads to follow up at the moment, I think it is worth taking the time to go to India and make this appeal to see if anyone there knows who the victim was.

Delicate features

"In spite of tremendous media support in this country and elsewhere, it is just possible that the message has not reached that one person who can help the investigation."

A post-mortem examination revealed that the man died some time between October 2000 and June 2001.

A life-sized model of the victim's head helped to determine that he was Asian, small and thin with delicate features.

About 600 possible victims have been eliminated - with inquiries throughout Europe and the Far East.