Murdered man found in Essex 'died in roof fall'

Detectives investigating the death of a man whose body was found at an Essex drugs factory, say he fell from the roof.

Police found the man at an industrial unit at Redhills Road, South Woodham Ferrers, on Thursday. They also uncovered a large cannabis factory.

A post-mortem examination showed the man died in a fall from the roof.

Det Ch Insp Mark Hall said they had established there was a break in at the site and cannabis was being stolen.

"We are now investigating whether the man who died was living at the site and whether he had gone on to the roof to escape from the criminals during the course of the burglary," Det Ch Insp Hall, from the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said.

"We now know that the man was not assaulted and the likelihood is that he fell through a skylight in the roof."

The man, who is thought to be in his 30s or 40s, was of South East Asian origin. Police have not yet identified him.

The death and burglary is being linked to an earlier "incident" in Redhills Road, when police were called at about 0530 GMT, Det Ch Insp Hall said.