DJ Derek: Remains found in woodland believed to be missing Bristol DJ

Police believe human remains found in woodland are those of an elderly reggae DJ who disappeared last summer.

Derek Serpell-Morris, who was a cult figure under his stage name DJ Derek, was last seen leaving The Criterion pub in Ashley Road, Bristol, in the early hours of July 11, last year.

A member of the public discovered the remains near Cribbs Causeway shopping centre in Patchway, Bristol, at 4.30pm on Thursday.

The 73-year-old, from Bristol, was reported missing on July 23 and a nationwide search to find him has been ongoing over the past eight months.

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Iddon, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Earlier today 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 and our thoughts are very much with them. We'll be keeping them fully updated and offering them any support they may need."

The death is being treated as unexplained and a post-mortem examination will be carried out by a Home Office pathologist to establish the cause of death.

A force spokesman said further tests need to be completed to confirm an identify but there is evidence to suggest the remains are of Mr Serpell-Morris.

Mr Serpell-Morris, a resident of St Pauls in Bristol since 1978, worked with the likes of Massive Attack, appeared in Dizzee Rascal's hit music video Dirtee Disco in 2010 and was known for playing a blend of '60s rocksteady, reggae, ska, dancehall and soul music.

He played hundreds of sets at bars and clubs over the years including at the Glastonbury Festival.

Additional reporting PA.