Police find body and van in double murder case

Police investigating the murders of two men who disappeared in June have found at least one body and a van buried on farmland.

Devon and Cornwall Police investigating the deaths of boxer Brett Flournoy and David Griffiths said they had made the discovery on land they have been excavating at Trenance Downs, near Newquay.

The two men disappeared after travelling to Cornwall in a Citroen Berlingo van on what police called a "social visit".

Detective Inspector Costa Nassaris said: "We believe this is the Citroen Berlingo van we've been looking for, although we haven't been able to positively identify the vehicle at this time as it has extensive fire damage and it's currently full of soil.

"We also believe we've uncovered the remains of at least one individual. A full forensic examination is now taking place.

"The forensic examination of the excavation site, the vehicle and body is a slow and painstaking process and is expected to take at least 48 hours before this element of the investigation is completed."

He said both men's families had been informed of the discovery.

A 28-year-old man from the St Austell area, who is connected to the site being excavated, remains in custody after being arrested in Newquay on Wednesday.

More than 50 police officers are working on the "fast-moving" investigation.

Police said that, because of the unusual circumstances of the inquiry, detectives have used the services of nationally renowned experts in ground radar and excavation, who assisted detectives in identifying the actual site and recovery of the buried vehicle.

Mr Griffiths, originally from Plymouth but living in Berkshire, and Mr Flournoy, from the Wirral, Merseyside, were last seen on Thursday June 16 and were known to have arrived in Cornwall at around 7.30pm that night.

It is thought the two men, both in their early 30s, were travelling in a white Citroen Berlingo van, registration A10 VVR which had "Tile Style" written in brown on both sides.

Police confirmed that neither man worked for a company of that name but are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen it since they disappeared.

Mr Flournoy is known to have picked Mr Griffiths up in the van from the car park on the Plymouth side of the Tamar Bridge, which divides Devon and Cornwall, at around 7pm on June 16. It is thought the men then travelled across to Saltash in east Cornwall.

PA