Body found after Climping beach fire believed to be Bognor man

Sussex Police said the man had not been formally identified but they believed he was the car’s owner, a 50-year-old man from Bognor.

Detective Sergeant Russ Burgess said: “We are in the very early stages of the investigation and are working with the coroner’s officer and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to establish the circumstances surrounding this death.

“The death is being treated as unexplained at this stage and we believe the body to be that of the car owner, a 50-year old Bognor man.”

The Red Rover saloon was discovered burnt out at 5.25am on Thursday, March 3.

Following reports from residents of an explosion and a car being on fire, firefighters from Littlehampton attended the blaze at the beach Climping Street, Climping and found the car well alight.

The body was inside the car, and a joint investigation between Sussex Police and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is now being carried out.

A police spokesman said a post-mortem examination had yet to be arranged and formal identification has not taken place.