THE gruesome discovery of a dead man was found in a car park at a New Forest beauty spot has sparked a police investigation.

The Vinney Ridge car park near Burley in the New Forest was sealed off for more than three hours on Wednesday may 20 after the body of the elderly man was discovered slumped in a Peugeot 206.

The small, 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.

A police spokesman refused to release any details about the man’s identity or the circumstances surrounding his death, saying 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.

One of those who drove past the scene was Robert Clarke, a member of Burley Parish Council.

He said: “They were clearly conducting a thorough investigation but it appeared to be standard procedure and didn’t alarm me.”

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.

A police car was positioned in front of the Peugeot, apparently in an attempt to shield the scene from people driving past.

Officers also placed a large piece of brown paper across the windscreen.

At one stage they opened the car’s back doors and examined the rear passenger compartment as part of their investigation.

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