Police appeal after man's remains found on field in South Yorkshire

Detectives have been investigating since human bones were uncovered on land off Mitchell's Street in Swaithe, near Barnsley, earlier this month.

South Yorkshire Police today said they were satisfied the bones were the remains of Martin Neil Radford, who lived in Barnsley and would have turned 60 last autumn but had led a transient lifestyle since 2015. It said his family had been informed.

The initial post mortem failed to reveal a cause of death, and police say they have not yet found any evidence of a crime being committed.

But officers have appealed for information for information about Mr Radford, who was also known as Ziggy and Ragsy, as they attempt to work out how he died.

Temporary Detective Inspector Stuart Hall, who has been overseeing the inquiry, said: "Now we have identified Mr Radford and notified his family, we must now establish the circumstances leading up to his disappearance and subsequent death.

"The initial post mortem was incapable of discerning a cause of death; however, initial enquiries have not established any apparent criminality.

"Nevertheless, we must make every effort to understand what happened to Mr Radford so we can offer his loved ones some closure.

"Our enquiries have thus far revealed that the last time Mr Radford was seen or heard from was at the end of March 2015, when he was 57-years-old. After this time, there is no further contact recorded or that we’re currently aware of.

"Mr Radford had been living in the Kingstone area of Barnsley up until the end of 2014, but from early 2015 he seems to have led a transient lifestyle and it is this period of time we are seeking to learn more about.

"Our new appeal, therefore, is to speak to anyone who knew Mr Radford and may be able to help us account for his movements, in particular after the end of March 2015. Do you know where he was living? Were you a friend or associate?

"If you can offer us any information, no matter how small, please get in touch with police. Anything you can offer may help us better understand Mr Radford and the circumstances leading up to his death."

The bones were discovered on February 4.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident number 605 of February 4. Alternatively, you can contact police by visiting https://mipp.police.uk and selecting 'Select South Yorkshire Police – Operation Reims'.