A decomposed body has been found by people searching Mitcham Common for scrap.

The gruesome discovery was reported to police at 2.30pm on Monday afternoon, prompting a full-scale investigation by forensics experts and detective from the Metropolitan Police.

According to a police officer at the scene, the body was so badly decomposed that experts at the scene had been unable to identify any meaningful details about the dead person’s identity.

The body was due to undergo a postmortem examination on Wednesday. It was discovered on land that shares its borders with Croydon, Sutton and Merton.

The officer said: “I can’t tell you how long it has been there. Even a pathologist would struggle to tell you that.

“We have identified the body is human, but I can’t tell you any details about its age, sex, or any indication of how it came to be there.”

It was hoped the postmortem examination would reveal the clues needed to help police determine whether or not foul play was involved, or even to confirm the person died at the scene or was dumped there.

Martin Boyle, the warden of Mitcham Common – who manages the park – was informed of the discovery on Monday afternoon, and said it had become a hot spot for fly-tipping.

Mr Boyle said: “Historically there have been a couple of suicides on the common over the past few years, and a murder about five years ago, so it’s still pretty rare for a body to be found like this.

“The area in question has become a huge problem in terms of fly-tipping.

“Lorries will often drive into the estate and dump all kinds of industrial waste on the common near the footpath.”

Merton Council workers, he added, clear up the rubbish from the affected area on a monthly basis, and last cleared the area two weeks ago.

The body was discovered in a secluded area near an industrial estate in Red House Road. Businesses in the road, including All Car Bodyworks, had workers’ cars caught behind the police cordon on Monday.

One worker said: “All we’ve been told is a body has been found across the road on the common.

“Obviously you just don’t expect to hear you might have been working next to a dead body this whole time – it’s so creepy.”

In July 2006, a body was discovered on Mitcham Common which turned out to be 27- year-old Harrods shop worker Egeli Rasta, who was murdered by Gareth Davies, a heavy cannabis user who lived nearby.