Still unidentified: 45 years since body found in woods

An appeal has been launched to help identify the body of a man found in remote woods exactly 45 years ago. The mystery of the 'Glamorgan Man' has baffled authorities for nearly five decades.

On December 9, 1979, the skeletal remains of a man were found in Rheola Forest, near Resolven. He is believed to have died between nine and 18 months previously.

It has been thought over the years that he might be a visitor from South Africa.

On his body was a Salvation Testament which bore the name D MALAN and a partial address in Randburg, South Africa. Much of the evidence points towards him having been from South Africa, or having had a link to the country.

Volunteer investigators with Locate International, a charity which looks into cold cases of missing and unidentified people, have been working on the case of Glamorgan Man, as he is known, for the past four years.

Now, 45 years to the day since he was discovered, they are launching a new public appeal for information in Wales and South Africa.

They have described how the man:

• Was between 40 and 60 years old of stocky build likely to have walked with a heavy limp, as his right knee was fused

• Was between 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins (173-178cm) tall

• May have worn dentures as he did not have teeth

• Had short mixed light brown hair streaked with grey

The charity believes that someone will have remembered him from his time in south Wales, possibly in 1978.