Mystery still surrounds the death of a man whose badly-decomposed body was washed up just over three years ago on the beach at Pakefield, near Lowestoft.

Mystery still surrounds the death of a man whose badly-decomposed body was washed up just over three years ago on the beach at Pakefield, near Lowestoft.

Even an international search using DNA and dental records has brought Suffolk police no closer to identifying him.

His body was discovered by a dog walker on February 20, 2004.

Police later released pictures of clothes he was wearing. And the search for clues involved other British police forces, the media and the national missing persons list, even Interpol.

Yet his name remains unknown, as does what led to his death.

A post-mortem examination conducted at Gorleston proved inconclusive.

The victim is thought to have been between 30 and 55 years old, about 6ft 1in and slim, with mousey brown hair.

It is believed his body had been in the water for up to three months before being washed ashore.

He was wearing blue Urban Spirit jeans and a pair of brown Clark's shoes, size 9 to 11.

At an inquest in June that year an open verdict was recorded.

The body has been buried in a cemetery chosen by Waveney District Council, and the position of the unmarked grave has been recorded in case further clues to his identity ever emerge.

Suffolk police spokeswoman Anne-Marie Breach said: “We believe he's a foreign national, as no one came forward following extensive inquiries.

“His details are all on file and will remain so, as it's an open case.”