POLICE are investigating the death of an elderly man whose body was found in a New Forest car park.

The Vinney Ridge car park near Burley was sealed off for more than three hours yesterday after the body was discovered in a Peugeot 206.

The grey vehicle had been reversed into a parking space and was facing the road.

Police patrol officers were joined by forensics experts, who examined the car’s interior and took photographs as well as removing several bags of evidence.

Last night a police spokesman said officers were still trying to trace next of kin.

He confirmed that the incident was not being treated as suspicious, but said a file would be prepared for the coroner.

Vinney Ridge is a small gravel park just off the busy A35, one of the main east-west routes across the Forest.

Police were alerted just after 7.30am and cordoned off the scene using blue and white tape tied to two trees either side of the car park entrance.

One of the officers described the dead man as a pensioner but said he was unable to release any further details.