Body of suspected burglar Kevin Gough found in chimney of solicitors firm in Derby

Kevin Gough was discovered when staff at Moody and Woolley Solicitors raised concerns about an unpleasant smell and flies in their office

The discovery was made when staff at Moody and Woolley Solicitors raised concerns about an unpleasant smell and flies in their office. (GOOGLE)

Police have identified the body of a man found earlier this week wedged inside the chimney at a law firm in Derby.

Kevin Gough, of no fixed abode, was discovered at Moody & Woolley Solicitors in St Mary's Gate on Wednesday after staff complained about an unpleasant smell and an infestation of flies in their office.

Mr Gough's remains were discovered when staff called pest control workers to get rid of what they believed was a pigeon.

Police estimated that Mr Gough's body had been inside the chimney of the Grade II listed building for about four weeks.

Today police said they were keeping an "open mind" as to the circumstances surrounding Mr Gough's death but that they were focusing on the theory that he died during an attempted burglary.

However, a spokeswoman for Derbyshire Police said officers were treating the death as unexplained and were preparing a file for the coroner.

"We're leaving it to the coroner to decide what he was doing in the chimney," she said. "We're preparing the basic facts for the coroner."

Police were sent to the city centre premises on Wednesday and cordoned off the area while the body of Mr Gough, 42, was removed from the chimney.

The spokeswoman added: "Police are not treating his death as suspicious."

Martina Longworth, a partner at Moody & Woolley, said sympathies of staff were going out to Mr Gough and his family.

"It's very tragic, it's very sad for the man who was found there," she said.

"He must have family and friends around him and our thoughts go out to them.

"Staff feel the tragedy.

"As a firm of solicitors we deal with probate matters, we deal with family matters including child protection so we're used to difficult matters, and our sympathy goes out to the man and his family and friends."