Appeal for help to identify mystery Bristol man

His body was found nearly 27 years ago on the banks of the River Avon

It's thought the man had fallen off the Clifton Suspension Bridge
Author: James DiamondPublished 14th Mar 2023

Could you help identify a mystery man found dead in Bristol nearly 27 years ago?

That's what a charity called Locate International is asking, which specialises in solving long term missing persons cases.

They have begun a public appeal for help to identify a man who was found dead on the banks of the River Avon in Somerset, back on 19 May, 1996.

It's thought the person had fallen off the Clifton Suspension Bridge, but they were found without any ID and their identity has been unknown ever since.

The man was found with this passport sized photo, believed to be of himself

At the time of his death, he was wearing a black sweatshirt and jacket, blue Lee Riders jeans and brown boots, and appeared to be carrying a photo of himself as a younger man.

He was found with a range of other personal items including a piece of cardboard with a handwritten message reading "Sleeping rough, thank you", a copy of Thomas Moore's Utopia with no outer cover and bearing the name West Glamorgan County Council on the front page, as well as a paperback book of The Greatest Batman Stories.

He also had a penny whistle, a packet of Silk Cut cigarettes and a blank Barclays giro slip.

Dave Grimstead, co-founder of Locate International, said: "We believe he must have been visiting somewhere or travelling around, so we're confident someone, somewhere must have interacted with him, or remembered him.

"That might have been in the Bristol area or anywhere else in the UK.

"Ask yourself if this is someone you encountered - maybe on the street, busking with a penny whistle, or while travelling around the country.

"He could well have been an interesting and memorable man to talk to, with a range of interests, so someone out there must remember meeting him."

Locate International say the man was also found with the following:

  • A Holy Bible
  • A Great Britain A-Z map
  • A Eurohike Adventure guide map

Do you have an idea of who this man could be?

You can submit information via Locate International's website here.

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.