Edinburgh man's death treated as unexplained by police

The death of a man whose body was found on open ground in Edinburgh is being treated as unexplained'' by police.

The body of Darren McCutcheon, known locally as Chicken'', was found behind Castlebrae business centre in the city's Craigmillar area at around 2.45pm on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old was last seen five days earlier and officers say they want to speak to the occupants of a car he was seen in during the week before his death.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have seen or spoken to Mr McCutcheon after 7pm on Thursday March 1 to contact officers.

Detective Inspector Kevin Harkins, of Gayfield CID, said: Darren was last seen around 9.45pm on Thursday March 1 in the Niddrie House Drive area, when he possibly got into a dark-coloured car.

We are seeking to find out where he went after that time and prior to his body being found, and ultimately how he died.''

Setting out Mr McCutcheon's movements that Thursday, he said: We know that Darren had left an address in Niddrie Marischal Road at around 7pm that day, where he was collected by a dark-coloured car.

Between 7pm and 9.45pm we believe Darren to have been in the Niddrie area of the city.

We are keen to speak to the occupants of the car that Darren got into on Niddrie Marischal Road at around 7pm and establish if this was the same vehicle he was seen with at 9.45pm in Niddrie House Drive.''

Mr McCutcheon was about 6ft 2ins, slim and with short dark hair.

When last seen, he was wearing a grey hooded top and black jogging bottoms with stripes down the outside of the legs