The human remains found wrapped in plastic at a nature reserve belong to a man aged older than 40, police say.

A murder investigation was launched after a human torso was found at Kersal Wetlands in Salford, Greater Manchester, on Thursday.

Greater Manchester Police said the victim is a man aged older than 40 who had been dead for a matter of days.

DNA tests are ongoing to identify the man.

“Our focus remains on identifying the man, ensuring his loved ones are informed and supported, and that we do all we can to establish what has led to this tragic outcome,” police said.

The search of the area has not yet uncovered anything besides the torso.

An investigation was launched after a member of the public discovered an “unknown item wrapped in plastic” in a secluded woodland area.

There were no identifying marks on the remains.

There are “a number of unknowns around this case”, according to Chief Superintendent Tony Creely, district commander for Salford.

“At the heart of our investigation is this man and his family. We are using all forensic techniques available to identify him as soon as we can so we are able to support his loved ones during this devastating time.”

The investigations “will take time”, he added, but police are working to “provide answers as soon as we are able”.

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An extensive police cordon has been put in place at the largely wooded reserve, which sits north of Manchester city centre and covers around 32 hectares of countryside, according to its website.

Specialists from the police forensics units, search teams, and a dog unit have been working at the site, police said.

Disruption of the local area may continue for some time, police said.

The force urged anyone who may have seen suspicious in the Kersal Dale area recently to contact them.