POLICE have dismissed suggestions the lower part of a human body found in the rubble of the Klyne and Klyne factory fire helps solve a 15-year-old mystery death.

It was workers clearing the factory destroyed by fire five weeks ago who made the grim discovery.

Police are carrying out forensic tests on the body parts found on the site of the DIY store on Manchester Road, Walkden.

But they have ruled out any connection with an incident on Christmas Day, in 1991 when a man walking his dog on nearby Linnyshaw Moss found a severed head and legs.

An artist's impression of the man's face was circulated around the country, but he has always remained a mystery.

Detective Chief Insp Geoff Wessell said: "There is absolutely no connection between the two incidents. We believe the body found on Monday had been in the factory for no more than two months which could mean he entered the factory on the night of the fire on Sunday, February 12.

"It is certainly not 15-years-old. We have not ruled out the theory that he was a vagrant taking refuge in the building to get out of the cold.

"Our forensic people believe the body was severed when the building collapsed. We are still trying to find the rest of it but it could take some time because there are around 20 tonnes of debris to clear."

The body, which is believed to be that of a white man, was clothed but had one shoe missing. Blood samples have been taken and police are hoping to get DNA evidence from it.

Police say the body could belong to a tramp who crawled in to shelter from the cold.

The Klyne and Klyne cash and carry warehouse was torched by teenage arsonists. Three youths have been arrested and remain on bail pending further enquiries.

At the height of the blaze, 80 firefighters from across Greater Manchester fought the flames, with crews still there two days later dampening down the building.

Because the building was unsafe, fire crews and police could not search it but inquiries revealed that all workers at the factory were accounted for.

Demolition workers were finally called in and on Monday lunchtime a digger picked up what looked like a bundle of rags but on closer inspection turned out to be the lower half of a body.

Neil Colbourne, 53, whose house on Moss Lane overlooks the factory, was one of many residents who had to be evacuated during the fire in February because of toxic fumes.

He said: "This man may not have died if the police had turned up as soon as I rang them at 8.20pm about the youths being in the factory. I went out at 9.05pm and the police hadn't turned up then and the lads were playing with a lighter near the warehouse."