Workers tell of shock after body found

WORKERS on an industrial estate in Bedworth have spoken of their shock after the grim discovery of a body in a freezer that was unloaded at a recycling plant.

The corpse was said to have been found by workmen at a tipping yard on the Bayton Road Industrial Estate in Colliery Lane.

The large yard was described as “swarming with the police” after the discovery in Colliery Lane, Exhall, on Friday August 21.

One worker at a nearby premises on the estate said: “It’s shocking to have this happen anywhere, let alone down the road.

“We are just thanking our lucky stars it didn’t happen here, but we wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone.

“There was a police presence and forensics here at the time, but other than that we didn’t see anything.”

Another worker at a premises near the yard said: “We saw a police car and we were surprised to hear what had happened, but that was about it, we are carrying on as usual.

“You see these things on the news more and more nowadays, it’s the way the world is.”

Other workers on the industrial estate described their disbelief after hearing the news, which one described as “like something from a mafia film”.

One said: “We heard the body was stuffed inside a fridge at first.

“But it looks like it was found in a chest freezer and as the workmen were unloading it at the skip place it opened up and they found the body.

“They have two sites around here which deal with vans and lorries from house clearances for councils as well as unloading commercial skips.

“It’s like something from a mafia film and not what you’d expect to happen on an industrial estate in Coventry.”

Another worker added: “The place was swarming with police the other day but it’s been quiet since.

“We wondered what was going on but when we heard it was a body found in a freezer, we couldn’t quite believe it.

“It’s a really horrible thing to have happened. I know some of the lads up there but they’ve been told not to say anything. It must have been awful.”

None of the workers who spoke wanted to be named.

West Midlands Police believe the body of an elderly gentleman was transported to a recycling plant, which the force did not name, in a freezer following a flat clearance by a housing association in Birmingham.

As part of the investigation a 50-year-old manwas arrested.

He was taken into police custody in Derby, but has since been released on bail.

Enquiries continue and anyone with information is asked to contact police via Live Chat at www.west-midlands. police.uk 8am - midnight or call 101 anytime.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555 111.