Published at 15:04, Monday, 15 March 2010

THE body of a man was discovered next to the Tyne Valley railway line on Monday morning.

Northumbria Police were called at 10.23am by worried passers-by who spotted the man lying on a grassed area at Widehaugh, just east of Hexham.
Officers confirmed that he was already dead when they arrived at the scene.
A spokesman said: "At this time, the death is unexplained and the man has not been identified. Enquires are at an early stage."
The railway line was closed between the MetroCentre and Hexham for several hours while officers carried out a search of the Widehaugh area.
Passengers were transferred to a fleet of buses.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk