Delia Hughes murder: Pond searches yield clues

Delia Hughes Delia Hughes was found dead inside her Ocean Village home on 18 August

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Police investigating the murder of a great-grandmother in Southampton say "potential clues" have been discovered in a search of a pond.

Delia Hughes, 85, was found beaten to death inside her Atlantic Close flat in Ocean Village on 18 August.

Det Supt Tony Harris said the latest searches "revealed several items which may be linked to the murder".

Hampshire Constabulary has been conducting searches of four large ornamental ponds in the complex.

The ponds, off Neptune Way, yielded bricks, bottles and glasses but also "several items of potential interest to the inquiry team".

Det Supt Harris said: "We have therefore sent them off for forensic analysis and we remain very much open minded as to whether they will provide us with any evidence.

"We now have to wait while scientists examine them and this could take several weeks."

CCTV images of a man police want to question Police are continuing to look for a man seen in both Woolston and Ocean Village

Police are still trying to identify a man seen in the Ocean Village area on the day of the murder.

It is thought the man, who is white and aged between 25 and 30, had travelled from the Woolston area of Southampton.

A CCTV image released on Friday showed him on Bridge Road at about 08:00 BST. He was later seen leaving Atlantic Close at about 09:30 BST.

Previously released footage showed the same man in the area of Atlantic Close and Ocean Village at 08:20 BST.

He was described as being "nimble and bouncy on his feet" and about 5ft 8in (1.7m) to 5ft 10in (1.8m) tall.

He was wearing a grey hooded jacket, faded blue jeans, trainers and carrying a small black rucksack.

A 29-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder have been bailed pending further inquiries.

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