Outback police pursue CCTV lead

CCTV footage of a potential suspect has been enhanced

Police in Australia have released CCTV footage of a man matching the description of the suspected kidnapper of missing Briton Peter Falconio.

The enhanced stills show a man buying diesel, ice and water in a Shell truck shop north of Alice Springs a few hours after the abduction.

Also pictured is the man's pick-up truck, similar to the customised vehicle thought to have been used in the kidnapping.

The truck caught on CCTV is similar to that described by Joanne Lees

Police have also found an unidentified body in outback desert scrubland but say it is unlikely to be that of Mr Falconio.

The dead man was wearing different clothes to those Mr Falconio is thought to have been wearing at the time of his disappearance.

The body of the white male, thought to be about 30, was found by local people at a roadside rest area about 40 miles south of Alice Springs.

His death is being treated as suspicious with the body estimated to have been there several days.

Tests to identify him are being carried out.

Security tapes

A Northern Territory police spokesman said the CCTV footage could prove crucial in the hunt for Mr Falconio's attacker.

He said: "The film has come from the security tapes of a truck stop on the north side of Alice Springs and was taken a few hours after the abduction.

The couple were devoted to each other

"We have been aware of the footage for some time but when we first got it, the tape's quality wasn't very good and we had to send it away to be enhanced.

"It shows a man who seems to match the description of the suspect wanted in connection with Mr Falconio's disappearance.

"We need to know who this man is and we hope somebody will recognise him from the footage.

"It could be that the man is wholly unconnected to the abduction - but equally it could provide the breakthrough this investigation needs."

Gunshot heard

Mr Falconio, 28, disappeared three weeks ago when he and girlfriend Joanne Lees stopped their van in the Australian outback north of Alice Springs.

Miss Lees told police they stopped the van because they were flagged down by another driver.

We need to know who this man is and we hope somebody will recognise him from the footage

Northern Territory police

After Mr Falconio got out of his vehicle, Miss Lees says she heard what sounded like a gunshot.

She was then bound and gagged by the attacker but managed to escape and hide for almost six hours before being helped by a passing truck driver.

Australian police launched a massive search for Mr Falconio and the attacker, using Aboriginal trackers to help them.

Family's appeal

They found blood matching Mr Falconio's DNA at the location where he went missing on 14 July.

Mr Falconio's father Luciano and brother Paul flew out to Australia from their West Yorkshire home last month to appeal for information.

Detectives in Alice Springs have offered a reward of £89,000 to help catch the gunman.

A 35-year-old man was arrested last month in Sydney but released on the strength of his alibi.