Man's body found at waste treatment facility in Avonmouth

A man's body has been found at a waste treatment facility in Avonmouth.

Police were called to New Earth Solutions in Kings Weston Lane at about 10.20am today after the body was found.

It is understood that workers were emptying a large bin at the facility when they discovered the body of a young man wearing shorts and a hoody.

Police officers are currently at the scene and are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the man's death.

They say they are keeping an open mind about what might have happened to him.

UPDATE 2PM:

Peter Mills, operations director at New Earth Solutions, told ThisisBristol: "There was an incident this morning concerning incoming waste. We have withdrawn from the site to allow police to conduct their investigations."

He said New Earth Solutions deals with municipal and domestic waste which they then recycle and treat.

The facility uses Mechanical Biological Treatment and started receiving waste in April last year, with the official opening in September.

New Earth Solutions has a contract to treat residual household waste of behalf of the West of England Partnership (comprising Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council) at the facility.

UPDATE:3.15PM

Police have cordoned off an area of Belgrave Road in Clifton, off Whiteladies Road.

They say it is in connection with the discovery of the body in Avonmouth, and they are making "initial inquiries" into his death.

UPDATE 4.15PM:

It is understood that the bin containing the body found in Avonmouth was collected from between 10 and 20 blocks of flats, one of which was the block cordoned off in Belgrave Road.

Police have told residents not to use their bins for the time being.

UPDATE 4.45PM:

Police confirm they have cordoned off nine different areas in Bristol - one being Belgrave Road (pictured) and another being Park Place in Clifton.

Each of the nine areas had bin collections today.

Avon and Somerset police spokesman Martin Dunscombe said: “Nine locations that have been subject to bin collections this morning have been cordoned off.

“This is part of the ongoing investigation into the body found in Avonmouth.

“We are keen to make sure the cordoned off areas are preserved, in case they are needed as part of the investigation at a later stage.”

UPDATE 5PM:

Police have released the following statement: "We are investigating a sudden death at a waste facility in Avonmouth.

"At around 10.20am we were called following the discovery of a body at the site in Kings Weston Lane. We are at the scene trying to establish the identity of the body and the circumstances surrounding the death. We believe the body is a man in his 20s.

"As part of our enquiries we have cordoned off nine locations in Bristol which were the subject of bin collections this morning.

"Our enquiries are at an early stage and we are keeping an open mind about the circumstances leading to this man's death."

UPDATE 5.30PM:

A sound engineer living next door to the Belgrave Road block of flats said he heard movement outside in the early hours.

“I keep a pretty keen ear out for what’s going on around here at night,” he said. “I remember at about 3am or 4am there was some shuffling about, but I couldn’t be sure where it was coming from.”

Elizangelacorr Santos, a 30-year-old cleaner who lives in one of the flats, said: “I came home from work and the police were here. It’s a real shock.”

A landlady of some of the flats, who did not want to be named, said: “We were shocked when the police came and told us it was in connection with a body. By the looks of it, it could be from anywhere.”

A builder at the property said: “The bin men must’ve come about 8.40am this morning and there was nothing abnormal as far as I can see.”

Other places cordoned off inlcude Park Place, Clifton, and Brandon Villas off Hotwells Road.