THE mystery surrounding the death of a Hampshire businessman who was found dead in the boot of a Rolls-Royce deepened today.

The body of Norman Carlton was found dead in the boot of his champagne-coloured luxury car where he had spent Saturday night parked outside Eastleigh civic offices.

But it is unclear today why the 53-year-old businessman chose one of the coldest nights of the year - when temperatures plummeted to minus 4C - to sleep in the open boot of his Silver Spur.

But last night police revealed that they still cannot say for certain how Mr Carlton, whose body was discovered by a friend on Sunday morning, died.

They said further tests were being carried out - after a full forensic investigation and post-mortem examination failed to provide answers.

It was understood that Mr Carlton ran the Call Carlton limousine hire company based in Derby Road, Eastleigh.

It is believed he had not been living at his family home recently but had been staying at a hotel in the area.

Police would not say why he was not living at home and yesterday his family declined to comment.

Detectives from Hampshire Constabulary's major crime squad are continuing to investigate the case.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: "While the inquiry team is not currently seeking anybody else in connection with this incident, it is continuing to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding it.

"On the information we have at the moment - the post-mortem and forensic tests - it doesn't look like it is suspicious. But until every avenue has been exhausted we won't rule anything out."

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, police were alerted to the grim discovery in the car park off Leigh Road at 9.40am by a friend of Mr Carlton.

The Rolls-Royce, which had a personalised number plate, was reversed against a hedge near the former magistrates' court building opposite the civic offices.

The investigation, code-named Operation Oryx, is being co-ordinated at the police's Western Division headquarters in Hulse Road, Southampton.

Det Insp Philip McTavish, working on the case, said: "The investigation remains in the hands of the major crime department because of the circumstances in which this chap was found, which are very unusual."

Detectives have appealed for anyone who was in or near the Eastleigh civic offices car park on Saturday night or early Sunday morning, and who may have seen the car, to contact the Operation Oryx incident room on 0845 045 4545.