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Peter Solheim

Peter Solheim was found with 'unexplained injuries'

Detectives investigating the death of a Cornish parish councillor have confirmed they are looking at possible links with the occult.

They believe 56-year-old Peter Solheim, from Carnkie, was interested in black magic.

Police launched the murder hunt after fishermen recovered Mr Solheim's body five miles off the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, on 18 June.

He was last seen launching his dinghy at Mylor Harbour on 16 June.

	I always teach people not to dabble with the occult, the darker side Ed Prynn, Arch Druid of Cornwall

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokeswoman said: "We are aware of his interest in the occult and it is one of a number of lines of inquiry we are following up."

The Arch Druid of Cornwall, Ed Prynn, has confirmed to the BBC that Mr Solheim was also a druid.

Mr Prynn said: "He was such a nice guy. We used to talk a lot about boating and fishing.

"He was a wonderful story teller, it's only just sunk in what has happened"

But he said: "I always teach people not to dabble with the occult, the darker side".

Officers questioned more than 200 people at Mylor on Thursday.

Police said the operation led to about a dozen lines of inquiry which merited further investigation.

Solheim boat

Mr Solheim's boat, the Izzwizz, was found drifting in Mylor Harbour

Members of Cornwall's druid community are expected to be interviewed in connection with Mr Solheim's interests.

Although Mr Solheim drowned, a post-mortem examination revealed a number of "unexplained injuries" on his body.

Police said his small white dinghy - with its key in the ignition - was spotted drifting in Mylor harbour by a local boatman on 17 June.

Police want to hear from a man called Charlie who it is thought Mr Solheim was going to meet at the time of his disappearance.

An examination of Mr Solheim's body revealed he had not been in the water long when he was found.

This and the fact that his 18ft fishing boat, the Izzwizz, was found floating in Carrick Roads led officers to start the murder inquiry.

Police said it was "not feasible" that the body could have floated from Mylor to the spot where it was found.