A man found dead in a car in the car park of Tesco in Gallows Corner, Romford, has been named as Behar Brace.

Police suspect that Mr Brace, 50, of Meadow Road, Romford, had been dead for “quite some time” when he was discovered, a spokesman said.

Officers were called at 5.50am yesterday after a member of supermarket staff, believed to be a cleaner, reported that they had found a body in the Bryant Avenue car park.

Police confirmed the man found in a blue Volkswagen Passat dead at the scene and are treating the death as unexplained but not suspicious.

A police spokesman has denied that the body was found in the boot of the car.

The body has been preliminarily identified and his next of kin have been informed. An employee of Timpson, based in the Tesco store, said: “It was a car in the car park, a guy who cleans the car park and comes in early was complaining he could smell something.

“It’s not nice. They are taking the body away.”

Gary Crawley, 51, parked near the police tape while on the way to a meeting at around 10am.

As he exited his car he was shocked to see a body being removed from the Volkswagen.

He said: “They were combing the ground for clues. We saw the body, it was covered with a tarpaulin sheet.”

The Metropolitan Police are yet to rule out suicide and a post mortem will be held on Monday.

A Tesco’s spokesman said: “We were sorry to hear about this incident. This is now a police matter and we are helping them with their enquiries.”

Send your tributes to sam.blewett@archant.co.uk or call 0208 477 3892.