Tragedy has struck the Leominster area once again this week with news of an unexplained death on farmland near the town.
The body of 29-year-old Troy Pontiflex Price was discovered in a derelict caravan at Ivington on Sunday morning, news that will add to an overwhelming sense of gloom in the area after a catalogue of tragedy in past weeks.
Police, who are not looking for anyone else in connection with the death, were called to a caravan on land at Lower Wintercott Farm at 11.24am on Sunday after the body had been discovered.
Mr Price was a local North Herefordshire man, whose last known address was at Kington and police report that his family have expressed a wish not to make any statement or tribute.
Said Detective Sergeant Tim Powell of Hereford CID: “At this stage we are treating the death as unexplained.
“Police have found evidence of drug-taking at the scene and we will have a much clearer picture of what happened after the post-mortem examination which is due to take place on Wednesday.”
He added: “I can confirm that we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.”
The coroner has been informed of the death.
This latest tragedy has led to local speculation about a connection with the deaths of two Leominster men, whose bodies were pulled from the River Lugg during last week’s bitterly cold weather.
Less than a month earlier, the town was reeling with news that Leominster pawnbroker, George Black had allegedly been murdered at his home in Bucknell.
Last week flowers were left beside the River Lugg at Leominster where a desperate search for steel erectors 43-year-old Paul Smith and his best friend Andrew Smith, 40, ended when their bodies were found on Sunday, January 4.
Detectives leading inquiries into their deaths said they were not looking for anyone else involved in the tragedy.
It was believed that the two may have made a suicide pact and drowned together.
However, a police spokesman dismissed any rumours and said there was no connection between the incidents involving the two friends and Mr Price.
Shirley Hanson, who lives at Lower Wintercott with her husband John, told the Journal she knew nothing about the circumstances of the incident involving Mr Price.
“I didn’t ever go to the caravan which was in a field,” she said.
“It was derelict and uninhabitable.”
One local person said: “We don’t know who he was. He just turned up and took his own life.”
If anyone has any information relevant to the inquiry, it can be passed to DS Powell by calling 0300 333 3000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.