WOODFORD GREEN: Neighbours' shock as body found near estate

Police were called at 10.37pm on Monday, May 28 after the corpse was found on a path leading from Chigwell Road to Broadmead Playing Fields in Woodford Green.

Officers sealed the scene and launched a helicopter to search the area.

Four men and a woman were arrested.

The men are aged 26, 19, 20 and 29 and the woman is aged 20 and all are currently being questioned in connection with the death at east London police stations.

Officers believe that an altercation took place that led to the victim's death.

Police have not yet revealed the identity of the deceased man or released information on how he died.

A post mortem is due to be carried out on the body at today (May 30).

Last night (May 29) the area where the body was found and a nearby Cortland Close were still sealed off as forensics officers searched the scene.

Cortland Close resident Mohammed Halas, 34, said: “It is really awful what has happened.

“It is usually quiet here and this is the first time something like that has happened. We are all very shocked.”

Lorraine Hockett, 30, lives in Chigwell Road, opposite the entrance to the path where the body was found.

She said: “At at about 12.30pm I heard the police helicopter overhead.

“It just awful to think that something like that could happen so close.

“I saw all of the officers down there and asked whether we were at risk. They reassured us that we were not and that they knew what it was about.”

One resident of the Orchard Estate, who does not want to be named, said: “There are all of these rumours going around.

“If this is gang related then I want to know. What is to stop people on the estate being hurt in the cross fire?

Navestock Crescent resident Corey McKenna said: “I don’t think it could have happened here.

“People would have heard something. Whenever people shout and scream on the fields you can hear it.”

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