A man whose skeleton was found in undergrowth had died of gunshot wounds, police revealed last night.

Detectives have opened a murder-style inquiry following the results of a detailed post mortem examination on the remains.

The fully-clothed skeleton was discovered by workmen carrying out drainage repair work on farmland near Bolam, about seven miles north west of Darlington, County Durham, on Wednesday. It appeared to be wearing Calvin Klein underpants.

The skull was found three to four feet away from the body, but it was not clear whether the separation happened before or after death.

The body is believed to have lain undiscovered at the edge of a field for at least several months.

Last night, local people spoke of their shock at learning that the victim had been shot.

Farmer Keith Metcalf said: "This is a real shock. We live a very sheltered and quiet life here - this is the last thing one expects to happen here."

Countryman pub landlady Mary Bowles added: "This is just awful.

"It will come as a great shock to many, as this is quite a sleepy little village."

The skeleton was found in undergrowth about half a mile from Bolam Grange Farm.

Yesterday, the scene of the find remained cordoned off by police, while Home Office pathologist Dr Mark Egan carried out checks on the skeleton.

It was eventually identified as that of a man and transferred to Darlington Memorial Hospital where the post mortem examination was carried out last night.

Durham Constabulary's CID chief, Detective Superintendent Ian Scott, confirmed the death was being treated as suspicious. But he declined to speculate on how or when the victim might have died.

Det Supt Scott said that as a result of the findings of the post mortem examination, police intended to begin at first light today an extended search around the area where the body was found with particular emphasis on a search for a weapon.

He said: "At this stage, we are conducting a murder-style inquiry, but need to establish whether the firearm's injuries were the result of a deliberate act on the part of others or by the victim."

He added it was unlikely investigators would be in a position to say more about the direction of the investigation until this afternoon.

David Lowe, who has farmed at Bolam Grange for 27 years, was overseeing the drainage work when the skeleton was found.

He said: "I saw what looked like a bag of bones wrapped in something and I thought 'What the hell is that?'.

"I saw some underwear - what looked to be a Calvin Klein elastic waistband on the body - and a pair of sneakers and knew it was human.

"Then I shouted to one of the lads, who was on a digger, and went to get the police who arrived about 15 minutes later."

Mr Lowe added that the skull of the skeleton was "three or four feet" away from the rest of the body.

"It was found in fairly dense undergrowth which suggests that it may have been there for several months."

It is not the first time tragedy has hit the community.

Locals last night recalled the death of a young woman in a cornfield 20 years ago.

They said she had been run over by a car in a field close to where the latest body was found.

And in April 1982 former pub landlord Leslie Manners was discovered dead by a girl exercising a horse at Bolam.

Mr Manners, who had retired as landlord of the village's Shoulder of Mutton after 24 years, had been shot in the head and a .22 rifle was lying nearby.

He had committed suicide ten days after learning he had cancer of the bladder