4.54pm update: Police say that the man found dead in a Holmbridge beauty spot died of natural causes.
The body of Peter Hirst, 66, was discovered in woods next to a picnic area off Brownhill Lane, overlooking Ramsden Reservoir, on Tuesday afternoon.
A MAN found dead in woods at a Holmbridge beauty spot has been named locally as Peter Hirst.
Neighbours said the 66-year-old kept himself to himself.
Mr Hirst's body was discovered in woods next to a picnic area off Brownhill Lane, overlooking Ramsden Reservoir, on Tuesday afternoon.
It is understood he had head injuries.
The picnic area, which is next to a construction site for workers carrying out repairs at the reservoir, had been cordoned off by police.
Detectives were carrying out house to house enquiries near the scene on Wednesday morning.
They would not reveal details about the dead man, other than to say that a post mortem would be carried out on Wednesday afternoon to determine the cause of death.
It is not known yet if they are treating the death as suspicious.
People living near by said the man was Peter Hirst, who lived on Dobb Top Road, roughly half a mile from the spot where he was found.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said Mr Hirst had lived in the area for at least 30 years.
He was a self-employed joiner by trade who had given up work about three years ago due to illness.
He had renovated an old coach house, where he lived alone.
There was no sign of any disturbance at the house, and no police activity.
The neighbour said: "I'm shocked. I knew him since the early 70s, but he was very much a loner who kept himself to himself.
"We used to chat while we were mowing the lawn or whatever, like neighbours do."
Another neighbour said: "We only saw him last week. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him at the time."
Enquiries are continuing.
Full story in Thursday's Examiner.
