Police appeal for e-bike after death of man in Wolverhampton school grounds
Neil Thompson was found dead on the grounds of Smestow Academy
Detectives investigating the death of a man in a school's grounds are looking for an e-bike he was riding in the hours before he died.
Neil Thompson, who was known as Chuck, was pronounced dead on the grounds of Smestow Academy in Windmill Crescent, Wolverhampton, on January 19, West Midlands Police said.
Mr Thompson was seen on Wheatsheaf Road at 1am and was found on the school grounds at 7.15am that day.
He had been found with injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The force said it is believed that he had been riding the e-bike from the Aldersley area along the Smestow Canal path on the outskirts of the city.
The 45-year-old was last seen wearing a camouflage jacket, a grey gilet, jeans and a beanie hat while carrying a red rucksack and may have been wearing sunglasses.
Detective Inspector Joe Davenport said: "We are continuing to treat Mr Thompson's death as unexplained, but extensive investigations are continuing as we work to find the answers his family deserve.
"The information we have does point, at this stage, to this as being an accident. However we want to be able to further establish this by locating the e-bike he had been seen riding in the hours before he died.
"Thorough searches of the surrounding area and a significant CCTV trawl have as yet been unable to pinpoint what happened to that bike and we're appealing for anyone who has found a bike to contact us.
"We would ask anyone who has any information about it to come forward and help us bring this investigation to a conclusion and bring some answers for Mr Thompson's family."
Police said the e-bike is a Carrera Crossfire E Men's Electric Hybrid Bike 2.0 - L Frame.
Mr Thompson's family previously said in a tribute: "Our beautiful son, brother, father and friend Chuck, very much loved in the community of fishing, his one true love.
"His love for life and funny stories touched the lives of so many people."
The force is asking anyone with information to call 101 or contact them via Live Chat quoting log 1452 of January 19.