A murder inquiry was launched today after the discovery of a man's body in the grounds of a Bradford upper school.

Police desperately tried to resuscitate the man after they found him unconscious at the rear of Rhodesway Upper School, Allerton, at 11.30pm last night.

But their efforts were in vain and the victim, believed to be a local resident in his 30s, was dead on arrival at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Officers were directed to the murder scene by a man from Allerton who walked into Bradford Central Police station, saying he wanted to "give himself up".

Detectives say the victim, who has not yet been identified, was found fully clothed with marks on his neck.

A 25-year-old man from the Allerton area of Bradford is currently in custody and will be questioned in connection with the incident today.

The exact details of how the man died are not known, but police have stressed the incident is in no way directly linked to the school.

Bradford senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Max Mclean is heading the murder inquiry and an incident room has been set up at Toller Lane Police station.

Det Ch Supt Mclean said: "Officers were directed to the victim's body by a man who gave himself up at Bradford Central Police station last night.

"We have reason to believe the two men were walking through the school grounds at about 11.30pm, perhaps as a shortcut.

"They may have got off a bus in that area at about 10.15pm and I would appeal for the driver of the bus, or any passengers, to come forward."

An area next to the rear entrance of the school was cordoned off by police last night while forensic experts carried out tests at the murder scene.

Detectives were hoping to establish the identity of the victim today. He is believed to be from the Allerton area and efforts are being made to contact his family.

A post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death was due to be carried out today. Detectives believe the man had only been there a matter of minutes before being discovered by police.

Det Ch Supt Mclean said: "Police officers made attempts to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital."

Head teacher at Rhodesway School, John Fowler said the body had nothing to do with the school apart from the fact that it had been found there.

He said the school was running as normal, with no areas cordoned off and most people completely unaware of the incident.

School children played on the fields next to where officers found the body, oblivious to the drama which had unfolded just a few hours earlier.

"Everything was sorted out by the police last night with the help of our caretaker and was back to normal by first light," Mr Fowler said. "The first most people will know about this is when they read about it in the Telegraph & Argus."

Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident should contact murder squad detectives at Toller Lane Police via the help desk on Bradford 376259.

Head teacher Mr Fowler said the body had been found in front of the bottom block of classrooms on the Oaks site of their school.

Mr Fowler said: "I was alerted around 3am but the investigation had been going for a couple of hours. I was told a body was found in the middle of the night which was immediately taken away by police.

"The police have told me is that it is pure random chance that the body happened to be on our site. Neither the body nor the alleged perpetrator can be in any way linked to the school.

"The school opened as normal today and although I informed the staff about what has happened, the pupils know nothing about the body."