DJ Derek: Police believe human remains found in Patchway woodland are those of Bristol reggae icon

Police believe the human remains found in woodland near Bristol are of those of DJ Derek, the 73-year reggae icon who has been missing since July. The DJ, real name Derek Serpell-Morris, was reported missing on 23 July, and police previously said they were "not confident" they would find him alive.

On 10 March, a member of the public found human remains in woodland near the junction of Merlin Road and Highwood Road, Patchway. While tests still need to be carried out to confirm the identity of the remains, Avon and Somerset police said they have evidence to suggest that belong to the DJ.

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Iddon said: "Earlier today (11 March) we spoke with the family of Derek Serpell-Morris to inform them of this latest development. While we're not yet in a position to confirm the remains are of Derek, we strongly believe this to be the case due to personal items found at the scene.

"This is a very distressing time for Derek's family, who've been carrying out an exhaustive campaign to locate him and raise awareness of his disappearance. Our thoughts are very much with them. We'll be keeping them fully updated and offering them any support they may need."

Police said there are treating the death as unexplained and a post-mortem examination will be carried out by a Home Office pathologist to determine the cause of death.