POLICE today stepped up their investigations into the body of a man found in woods near Southampton.

A member of public made the discovery in woodland off Rownhams Lane yesterday morning.

Police were alerted at 11.43am. Detectives cordoned off the area at the junction with Greenhill Lane until about 5pm while they carried out an investigation.

A police spokesman said the death was not being treated as suspicious and next of kin have been notified.

However officers have yet to formally identify the man, understood to be a 40-year-old from the Southampton area.

A post mortem is likely to be carried out early next week. A file will be sent to the coroner.