Dark Room

Bodies Found in Ardingly Woods

The remains of a man and a woman were discovered yesterday in Ardingly Woods in Hampshire. Cause of death has yet to be revealed but police are not ruling out foul play. "We are asking for help in trying to establish their identity," said a spokesman. "Death is believed to have taken place ten to twelve days ago, but no one matching their descriptions has been reported missing."

The man is described as 6'1", medium build, aged between 30 and 40, with straight blond hair. He was wearing fawn cotton slacks, a checked shirt, and dark green ribbed sweater. The woman was 5'4", slim build, aged between 30 and 40, with short dark hair. She was wearing blue denim jeans and a navy blue T-shirt.

Police admit to being puzzled as to how the bodies came there. "There are no reports of a car being abandoned in the area," said the spokesman, "and the woods are not on a bus route, We believe someone must have driven them there, and we are asking anyone who gave a lift to a couple answering these descriptions to come forward, ft is possible that they hitched a ride from outside the county."

Police have not ruled out a suicide pact, although they are concerned that neither body carries any form of identification. "This is unusual,"' said the spokesman. "We would have expected to find a wallet or a handbag." The woods continue to be searched for fui-ther evidence.

Mrs. Mary Hughes, 73, who discovered the bodies with Pepita, her Jack Russell, is recovering at home following a slight heart attack. She ran over a mile to the nearest telephone to alert police, and blames the attack on shock and overexertion. "I should have walked," she said. "I'm an old woman now and those bodies weren't going anywhere. There's no fool like an old fool."

Wessex Post-24th June