Residents 'shocked' as police discover body of a man in his 40s in popular Portchester park

Police found the man, believed to have been in his 40s, in the park in Westlands Grove, Portchester, shortly after 6.53am.

Residents told The News they saw officers in forensics uniforms investigating the area close to Portchester Community Centre.

The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious, according to a spokesman from Hampshire Constabulary.

He said: ‘(The man’s) next of kin have been informed.

‘The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.’

SEE ALSO: Body of man in his 40s discovered in Portchester park

Police remained at the scene for more than two hours, according to a resident in Westlands Grove who saw two police vans leave the area at 9am.

Wendy Hall, 75, who has lived in nearby Cranleigh Road for more than thirty years, said it was ‘quite shocking’ for a body to be found in what is usually ‘a lovely area’, with visitors regularly using the petanque pitch and the children’s play area within the park.

She said: ‘It's not a normal occurrence for around here.

‘But I think people will just treat it as an unfortunate incident.

‘People won't avoid the park because of it.’

Another Portchester resident, who asked not to be named, said: ‘I've not heard of anything this terrible happening in the park – we usually come here once a week.’

‘Sadly these things happen – we will still come to the park.

‘It's very out of the ordinary.’

It comes after a man died at Portchester train station after being hit by a train on Monday.

Community leaders described his death as a ‘dreadful tragedy’. He died at around 5.34am.

Police and paramedics attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The death has since shocked the community around the local area.

On Monday Councillor Roger Price, who represents Portchester East on Fareham Borough Council, said: ‘I’m absolutely distraught to hear this has happened again. It’s incredibly sad.’

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