Police have appealed for witnesses as part of a murder investigation following the death of a man during a summer solstice event.

Officers were called to reports a body had been found at the Nine Ladies Stone Circle in Stanton Lees, Derbyshire, at 13:38 BST on Monday.

Derbyshire Police said the 26-year-old man had not yet been formally identified, but that his family had been made aware and were being supported by specialist officers.

Det Insp Tony Owen, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, which is leading the investigation, said: “I am urgently appealing for anyone who attended the summer solstice event over the weekend to please speak to officers as soon as they can.”

“A young man’s life has been taken in the most brutal way so it is vital that myself and the team build up a clear picture of the exact circumstances surrounding his death,” Owen added.

“This is why we urgently need to speak to everyone who was at the scene over the weekend.

“You may have only been there briefly and think you can’t help but you could hold the key piece of information we need to understand what has happened and help us to get justice for this young man’s family.

“So I would ask, please, that if you attended the event, you contact us urgently so we can build up a picture of the event itself and what has led to this man’s death.”

The force has asked for anyone who was at the scene between Friday 19 June and Tuesday to contact them.

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