DETECTIVES have launched a murder enquiry after the body of a Worcester man was found dumped in the countryside.

Officers believe the death of Michael Kelly, aged 35, is connected to an arson attack on his flat in Tolladine earlier this week.

Mr Kelly's body was discovered - partly covered in sheeting - in a copse at Grafton Lane, between Bidford-on-Avon and Temple Grafton in Warwickshire at around noon on Thursday.

He was found by a local man working in the area. A post mortem has revealed he died from head injuries.

Police said one theory they are working on is that unemployed Mr Kelly could have been killed elsewhere and his body taken to the copse and dumped because of the "isolated, rural nature of the area".

His home in Teme Road was set alight on Tuesday night.

Warwickshire police were initially handling the murder investigation but have handed it over to West Mercia.

"We're in the process of setting up a major incident room at Worcester Police Station," said Det Supt David Gower, of West Mercia police.

"The information gathered during the enquiry to date will, at the earliest opportunity, be transferred to our database and we will continue to work closely with Warwickshire Police.

"I'd ask anybody who may have seen anything suspicious in the lanes around Bidford and Temple Grafton earlier this week to come forward and contact the police.

"In addition, I want to hear from witnesses who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the house in Teme Road, before the fire broke out."

Anyone with any information about Mr Kelly's murder should contact the police incident room at Worcester on 01905 723888.

Mr Kelly's neighbours today described him as a man "who kept himself to himself".

One said that over the past three years there had been around eight different tenants at the first-floor Teme Road flat.

Two men have been arrested in connection with the arson attack and were being detained at Worcester Police Station as the Evening News went to press today.