Canal boat fire: Police still unsure over victim's identity (From Oxford Mail)

Canal boat fire: Police still unsure over victim's identity

12:42am Saturday 24th November 2012 in News By Jason Collie

POLICE are tonight still unsure over whose remains were on board a boat gutted by fire a week ago.

The canal boat Lady of the Lake was burnt out last Friday night at the Duke's Cut waterway at Wolvercote, north of Oxford, and police then found human remains.

They soon said the remains were believed to be the boat's owner, Kevin Pryor, but tonight have said that has still not been confirmed.

A post mortem examination today has failed to establish the identity.

Det Insp Mike Lynch, leading the investigation, said: “We have been working hard to positively identify the person involved.

"We have so far established the human remains were from the body of an adult male.

“We have been unable to positively identify this male at this time, and we need to perform further forensic  investigations which will continue next week.”

Mr Lynch is now appealing for anyone who has information on Mr Pryor’s movements in the past few weeks to call him on the police enquiry line 101.