Mystery man found dead on Saddleworth Moor identified

A man found dead on a hillside after travelling from London has finally been identified more than a year later.

David Lytton, 67, had travelled to the UK from Pakistan two days before his death, a coroner said.

The Londoner, dubbed Neil Dovestones by police, was discovered fully clothed and lying on the ground above Dove Stone Reservoir.

He was found by a mountain biker at the spot close to the peak of the 1,500ft Indian’s Head on Saddleworth Moor, in Greater Manchester, on December 12, 2015.

Mr Lytton was lying with his hands folded by his side beside a moorside path, showing no sign of injury, Heywood coroner's court heard.

He had taken a train from London Euston to Manchester before travelling to Greenfield, Saddleworth, where he visited a pub at about 2pm and asked the landlord how to get to the top of the mountain.

All he possessed were three train tickets, including a return to London, £130 in cash in £10 notes and a small empty bottle of pills, emblazoned with Arabic writing.

Detectives have revealed Mr Lytton was poisoned by strychnine - a drug often used in Agatha Christie novels - which he may have administered himself as he neared the peak, the Manchester Evening News reported.

The drug, which is often used as a pesticide, is highly toxic, can causes convulsions and is used in rat poison.

Its sale is banned in many parts of the world including Europe but not Pakistan, according to the newspaper.

A statement by Detective Sergeant John Coleman from Greater Manchester Police was read in court by coroner Simon Nelson.

It confirmed that officers had checked passenger records from a flight from Lahore in Pakistan which tallied with Mr Lytton's details.

Airport and train station CCTV were also checked to confirm Mr Lytton's movements.

His family had been informed and officers were able to compare DNA from the mystery body with that of a relative to confirm a match.

A statement released by Greater Manchester Police read: “After more than a year of painstaking enquiries, which included media appeals being released in the UK and Pakistan, as well as assistance from the National Crime Agency, detectives investigating the mysterious case of “Neil Dovestones” have made a positive identification.

“A full inquest date has been provisionally set for March 14 2017 at Heywood Coroners Court.”

Police will release more details in a press conference due to be held on Friday.