Roadside body identified as lorry driver Bogdan Bartczak

A man who was found dead on a roadside in the Black Country by a passer-by was today named as Polish lorry driver Bogdan Bartczak.

An inquiry was launched after the 57-year-old was found in Darby End, Netherton, two weeks ago.

He was travelling through the area with a load of televisions in his wagon after arriving in the country on October 30 at Dover.

His body was found on Vale Road at 6.50am on November 1. His clothing had been disturbed and there was blood around his nose, an inquest in Smethwick heard yesterday.

The victim's son, who lives in Poland, identified his father. Black Country coroner Robin Balmain adjourned the hearing to allow detectives time to investigate. He said he may order a second post mortem.

The lorry was found eight miles away, minus its load, on the Vectra Industrial Estate, off Whites Road, Hill Top, West Bromwich. Detectives held a day-long anniversary appeal on Sunday — one week after his death, at the Sainsbury's car park Freeth Street, Oldbury.

They are trying to establish the events leading up to his death and exactly how he died.

At the weekend Det Ch Insp Steve Bimson, leading the inquiry, said tests proved inconclusive in determining a cause of death and officers are keeping an open mind as to what happened.

However, they believe hijackers robbed the vehicle in another location and drove it to the West Bromwich trading estate where it was dumped.

They are puzzled over how the driver's body ended up in Dudley as the lorry would not have been able to pass along Vale Road.

The vehicle was parked somewhere near the town centre on Saturday through to Sunday evening and it is known that Mr Bartczak went shopping in Oldbury during that time.

Police believe it is unlikely that he walked far from wherever it was parked and are trying to trace people who saw the lorry it at that time.

Officers say that the anniversary appeal on Sunday was a success with a number of drivers spoken to during visits to lorry parks in the area.

West Midlands Police spokeswoman Catherine Hickman said: "The information will be fed back into the investigation."

A poster campaign has also been launched featuring the face of Bogdan Bartczak which is hoped will help jog people's memories.

Anyone with information can telephone police on 0345 113 5000.