Testimony: The Body on Seaham Beach - listen to part two of our new podcast

Testimony: The Body on Seaham Beach is a new two-part podcast series launched last week to mark 16 years since the discovery of human remains on the Featherbed Rocks in north-east England.

In the first episode of the podcast listeners learnt of a case of unidentified remains which has confounded investigators since the day they were discovered.

On the podcast Fiona Thompson, who covered the story as a reporter for our sister title the Sunderland Echo at the time, takes listeners through the actions of police and others in the weeks, months and years that followed, in the exhaustive attempt to identify these remains.

In the second episode of the podcast, out today (20 May), you will hear from Coroner’s Officer Neville Dixon, who worked on the case and inquest.  He explains why the case was so unusual then and even now.

Other contributors include Professor Caroline Wilkinson of Liverpool John Moores University, who worked with lead police officer Cliff Down and his team to carry out a facial reconstruction of the unidentified man.

Listen to episode two now:

You can also listen or subscribe to Testimony on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcast platforms.

Dr Wilkinson is famed for doing a similar reconstruction of King Richard III, following the discovery of his remains in a Leicester car park in 2012.

As well as the specifics of this case, the podcast sheds light on how missing people cases and unidentified remains are treated by the authorities and investigators.

Testimony is a Laudable production for the Sunderland Echo and NationalWorld.  It is presented, produced and edited by Kelly Crichton.