The body of a man being found in a city meadow has been described as ‘shocking’ by a man who walks his dog there every day.
Thames Valley Police said the body of a man aged in his 30s was found in Port Meadow near to Godstow Road on Saturday (December 6).
The police force said the body was found in ‘open space’.
On Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: “The man’s death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the Coroner.
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“The family of the man have been informed, and our thoughts are with them at this extremely upsetting time.”
The deceased man has not been named at this stage.
Mike Taylor, who has lived in the area for 25 years and walks his dog in the meadow every day, said police and forensics were at the scene on Saturday.
“I was walking my dog and I saw two police officers standing in the rain, with what was obviously a body under a white tarpaulin in a ditch,” he told this newspaper.
“When I came back an hour later they were still there.
“A friend of mine who went dog walking said there were four policemen and two forensics there, and there was obviously a body, no sense of urgency.”
The 60-year-old said seeing a police presence in the meadow is ‘very uncommon’.
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“It’s a pretty rare occurrence especially, especially there, it’s such an unusual space for anyone to be lying,”
“Someone [who’s aged in their 30s], it’s so shocking, isn’t it?
“That’s that’s not much older than my sons.
“I hope it wasn’t too horrible for him – until we know whether it was an accident or suicide, it’s going to be difficult to know.”
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