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Man dies from extensive head injuries at waste disposal plant in Burnley Man dies from extensive head injuries at waste disposal plant in Burnley
(34 minutes later)
Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was found with fatal head injuries at a waste disposal plant.Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was found with fatal head injuries at a waste disposal plant.
Stephen Whitehead, 49, was pronounced dead at Pendle Skips in Burnley, Lancashire, on Monday morning. A post-mortem examination showed Whitehead, a casual worker at the firm, had died from extensive head injuries. Stephen Whitehead, 49, was pronounced dead at Pendle Skips in Burnley, Lancashire, on Monday morning. A postmortem examination showed Whitehead, a casual worker at the firm, had died from extensive head injuries.
Police were called by the ambulance service after he was found at about 8am.Police were called by the ambulance service after he was found at about 8am.
DS Paul Withers from Lancashire constabulary said: “We have a large team of detectives dedicated to this investigation and finding out exactly how this man came about these injuries and the circumstances which led to his death. Work colleagues found the body of the father-of-one from Burnley in the kitchen area when they arrived on Monday. Police believe a weapon of some description was used to inflict his fatal injuries.
“I would urge anyone with information about this man’s death to please get in contact with us at your earliest opportunity.” DS Paul Withers from Lancashire constabulary, said that Whitehead had been known to occasionally sleep at the premises. He was last sighted at the town’s Tesco Extra store at about 7pm on Saturday and had also been in the White Lion and Princess Royal pubs.
Whitehead was said to have “fallen on tricky times” recently and had been staying at friends’ addresses but detectives said it was unclear where he had been sleeping in the past week.
One line of inquiry is that Whitehead, a man of slight stature, may have disturbed raiders following a number of diesel thefts on the industrial estate.
A team of more than 50 detectives are working on the inquiry which Withers described as “a whodunnit”. He said he was particularly keen to trace Whitehead’s movements over the weekend.
Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident reference 182 of 27 July, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident reference 182 of 27 July, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.