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'New information' about mystery man found dead in wetsuit

Danielle HerbertBBC Wales
Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University Digital recreation of missing man's face.Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University
Specialists at a Liverpool University used photographs, dental records and CT scans of the man's skull to produce a digital recreation of missing man's face

Police say they have received a "significant number of new pieces of information" about a man whose body was found in a reservoir.

Dyfed-Powys Police worked with experts to produce a realistic image of the unidentified man's face after he was found in Clearwen Reservoir, Powys, wearing a wetsuit but with no clothes or mode of transport found nearby.

After releasing the facial image last week, the force said it had received between 50 and 70 initial calls, emails and reports through the dedicated investigation website.

The information ranges from specific names of individuals to "more ambiguous reports that might take some time to follow up on".

The mystery of the man in the wetsuit grabbed people's attention across the UK after police first appealed for the public's help in October 2024.

Earlier that month, a lone walker had spotted the man's body floating a few metres out from shore at Claerwen Reservoir, the largest and most remote of a series of reservoirs in the picturesque Elan Valley, west of Rhayader.

Picture of Detective Inspector Anthea Ponting, who has long brown hair and a fringe. She is sat in a office alongside a computer screen showing the digital recreation of missing man's face and the wet suit he was wearing when found.
Det Insp Anthea Ponting said the key focus of the investigation is to establish the man's identity

Det Insp Anthea Ponting, who has led the investigation, said: "We have had a significant number of reports through our force control centre and the major incident public portal, which we are working our way through and assessing individually."

The force will "prioritise and look at each and every report to determine what reasonable lines of enquiry can be carried out", she said.

BBC Crimewatch Drone shot of Claerwen Reservoir.BBC Crimewatch
Due to its remote location and cold water, locals say the Claerwen Reservoir area doesn't get many tourists - even in the height of summer

So far, the investigation team has established that the body found was a white male, aged between 30 and 60 and about 6ft (1.8m).

He was wearing an extra large Zone 3 Agile wetsuit, and it is believed he had been in the water for about 12 weeks before he was found.

The force began with working with neighbouring police forces to conduct checks for missing or wanted people who have not been traced, before extending inquiries to contact all UK forces.

"We have run searches through the Police National Database, issued bulletins to police overseas through Interpol, searched DNA, fingerprint and dental records for potential matches, and issued public and media appeals for information," Ponting added.

"Each time we have reached out to the public, we've been provided with some lines of enquiry to follow-up on, but unfortunately none have yet proven to be the key to finding out who this person is.

"While this is a case that has amassed a huge amount of attention and intrigue, what has been the key focus to us throughout is establishing his identity so we are able to return him to any family or loved ones who might be missing him."

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