Detectives have launched a murder enquiry following the suspicious death of a man in Plymouth.

Police were called by the ambulance service at around 6.40am on Wednesday 21 October following concerns for the welfare of a man in the West Hoe area.

The man was found seriously injured in a service lane off Grand Parade. He was treated by paramedics but was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.

Detectives from the Force Major Crime Investigation Team have launched a murder investigation and are carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the man’s identity and the circumstances surrounding his death.

A cordon remains in place while forensic examinations and searches are conducted. Several road closures are in place, including Grand Parade and Garden Crescent.

The public can expect to see a significant police presence in the area throughout the day as detectives and officers review CCTV footage and carry out house-to-house enquiries.

Detective Inspector Chris Lithgow said: “Our investigation is at an early stage but moving at a significant pace as we work to establish the circumstances surrounding this man’s death.

“We are appealing to anyone who was in the area of Grand Parade and Garden Crescent between 1800 hours on the 20^th October and 6.40am this morning, and who may have witnessed anything suspicious, to come forward.

"We are particularly keen to hear from anyone with CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage from the area during this time.

"There will be an ongoing police presence in the area while enquiries continue and anyone with concerns is encouraged to speak with officers at the scene.

“We will release further information when we are able to do so but in the meantime would ask people not to speculate about what may have happened, especially on social media.”

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact police by completing the form below, visting the Force website or by calling 101, quoting reference 50260282293.