A man whose body was found in the grounds of a former nursing home in Bradford is believed to have been kidnapped then murdered.

The victim is thought to have been snatched from a car sales lot in Sticker Lane, Laisterdyke.

His body was dumped in a rolled-up carpet on a wooded lane leading to the derelict Shirley Manor residential home, off Huddersfield Road, Lower Wyke.

The grim find was made by a member of the public.

Police were last night keeping tight-lipped about their lines of inquiry, but were expected to reveal more details at a press conference today.

A Home Office pathologist was carrying out a post-mortem examination last night to establish the cause of death and the identity of the victim will not be revealed until the results are known.

The man's body was found in a secluded lane running through the woods, which are regularly used by dogwalkers.

The area was sealed off with blue and white police tape while senior detectives and scenes-of-crime officers examined the area.

Uniformed officers and Police Community Support Officers stood guard at the entrance to the lane leading to the council-owned property, and a Coroner's officer attended.

An area of woods behind the derelict buildings was also cordoned off as investigations continued.

Last night, forensic teams were also carrying out searches at the premises in Sticker Lane.

The investigation is being led by Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor, of West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.

He said: "The body was found just off Huddersfield Road, close to the Shirley Manor residential home at 8.40am yesterday.

"We are keen to speak to anybody who saw or heard anything suspicious in that area on Wednesday evening, or overnight, to contact us."

The lane and woods are open to the public but it is understood there are security patrols around the buildings during the night.

The former home is walled up and graffiti has been sprayed on the buildings.

One woman resident, living nearby in Huddersfield Road, said local people walked their dogs in the woods.

But she said the grounds were also used by teenagers from a local council estate to ride motorbikes.

She said: "I won't walk my dog there on my own. The youths drive around on bikes and have Rottweiler dogs roaming about with them.

"We have lived here since April and you can hear the bikes at night, but they don't cause us any problems and I have not heard of any other sort of trouble."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the HMET incident room on (01274) 373700, or text WYKE, followed by a message, to 07786 200806. Information can also be given by ringing Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.