Drinkers quizzed over body find

Dozens of drinkers in Halesowen have been questioned by police over a death which has shocked the town.

Officers were patrolling town centre bars last night in the search for clues about the man’s death.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, collapsed in the graveyard at St John the Baptist Church, Queensway.

Police are investigating reports that the man may have been the victim of a robbery which went wrong.

But they were today awaiting the result of a post mortem before confirming whether the death is being treated as murder.

Officers today refused to comment on reports that a weapon – thought to be a metal bar – had been recovered from a drain close to the scene. 

Police, including some drafted in from Aston to help with the inquiry, were asking punters if they had been in the area the previous night and whether they had seen anything suspicious.

The focus of the investigation has fuelled speculation the man had been drinking in the area the night before his body was discovered. 

Officers last night visited pubs including The George and The William Shenstone, both in Queensway, and The Wagon and Horses in Stourbridge Road in a bid to trace information. They have not ruled out robbery as a possible motive for an attack after residents claimed the man may have been carrying a substantial amount of cash following a betting win. 

The man was found collapsed in the churchyard at 7.30am yesterday. He was pronounced dead at the scene and the entire churchyard was sealed off. 

A spokesman for St John the Baptist Church said tomorrow’s Autumn Fair is still expected to go ahead as planned but this is dependent on the churchyard re-opening in time.