Channel 4 commissions Mystery of the Man on the Moor (wt)

Channel 4 Commissioning Editor Tom Porter has commissioned a documentary looking at the mysterious death of the so-called Saddleworth Moor man.  A tall, grey haired man in his late 60s, last seen asking for directions to the top of a moorland mountain, was found a day later on a path near a local beauty spot, Dove Stone Reservoir. Toxicology tests last March confirmed that he died from a dose of strychnine but apart from small amounts of CCTV and the limited contents of his pockets there was no clue as to who he was. After a thirteen month investigation his identity was only revealed a month ago.

A Channel 4 team has had unique access to  DS John Coleman of Great Manchester Police as he worked on the longest running unsolved case of his 19 year career. This documentary follows DC Coleman and his team as they work to find out who the man is – painstakingly piecing together his last known movements, ordering a second post mortem to try to trace him through a metal plate in his left leg, and handling dozens of potential inquiries from families searching for long-lost relatives.

With unseen footage of key moments of discovery, and the meticulous international investigation, this film will reveal the true story behind the mystery of the Saddleworth Moor Man.

Tom Porter said:  ‘This film tells an extraordinary tale of mystery and intrigue through amazing long-term access.  In a world where our every movement is seemingly tracked and monitored to the extreme, it’s almost unbelievable that someone can prove so hard to trace.’

Leeds based indie True North are making the film, with Producer/Director Sarah Hey.