A naked man found face down in a roadside Oxfordshire pond was murdered, police believe, write Richard Abbott and Stephen Deal.

The man, who has not yet been identified, was found in shallow water next to the A421 Bicester to Buckingham road yesterday.

Forensic experts were today combing the area, near Stratton Audley, for clues. Detectives are treating the case as murder.

The horrific discovery was made by a motorist who pulled into a layby near the Fringford junction. The pond was about six feet from the edge of the road. He went away to tell a colleague before returning an hour later. He called the police at 1.20pm.

Detectives sealed off the pond and an underwater team was called. The body was removed at about 7pm and taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

A post-mortem examination revealed the man, thought to have been in his late 20s, suffered serious facial and head injuries. The man was not expected to be identified until later today. Senior investigating officer Det Supt Steve Morrison said the body could have been submerged in the pool of water for many hours before it was found.

"We don't know how long it was there. As a result of the medical examination we will have more of an idea what happened," he said.

Police have appealed for information from anyone who may have used the stretch of road from Sunday night onwards.

Story date: Wednesday 21 April

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