Inquiry reopened into body find 18 years ago

David Hall, 26, was reported missing from his Sunderland home in August 1987, and his body was found five years later more than 40 miles away in the countryside at Ingleby Greenhow, near Stokesley, North Yorkshire.

Forestry workers stumbled across Mr Hall's remains at Ingelby Bank Wood on July 13, 1992, but a police investigation was unable to shed any light on how he died.

Owing to the length of time between Mr Hall's death and the discovery of his body, a cause of death could never be ascertained and an open verdict was recorded at an inquest.

But North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that they are now re-opening the case after a review was conducted to see if advances in forensic science can be employed to aid the inquiry.

Det Chief Insp Nigel Costello, leading the investigation,

said: "Someone potentially knows exactly how David died.

"Due to the passage of time we believe there may be people out there who may now find it easier to come to the police with any information they have, despite not wanting to – for whatever reason – all those years ago."

Mr Hall was last seen alive on the evening of Wednesday, August 5, 1987, when he visited an ex-girlfriend in staff accommodation at Sunderland General Hospital.