MYSTERY surrounds the death of a Hampshire man who was missing for six months before his remains were found in a park.

Forklift driver Ovidijus Aukselis from Southampton was discovered in a woodland area of Riverside Park after going missing in July last year, Winchester Coroner’s Court heard.

The court heard that the 22-year-old had broken up with his girlfriend in the week before his disappearance, and had left a goodbye letter to her in his room.

But given the lack of evidence surrounding his death and the length of time before he was found, Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short was unable to confirm how Mr Aukselis died.

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Koren Hoskins was walking with family and friends on January 28 in the park on Mansbridge Road when they discovered Mr Aukselis’s bones.

In a statement read in court, she said: “We had decided to go on a metal detector hunt in the park.

“At first everyone thought it was a joke - the bones were just scattered all around.”

Mr Aukselis, who was born in Lithuania and moved to the UK at the age of 15, was last seen by his housemate at their home in Arnold Road at 6am on July 16, 2016.

At the time of his disappearance his family launched an appeal to help find him, saying it was out of character for him to be away from home.

His sister, Indre Aukselyte, 25, said at the time: “My brother is a very homely person and this is really unlike something he would normally do.

“My mum is worried, the whole family is worried.”

Indre added that her brother had been sending messages to his ex-girlfriend via Skype on the morning he vanished.

In a statement read in court, Ms Aukselyte said: “He was a bit sad, he told me, because he had been dumped.

“My mum told me he had been messaging her all night to say his heart was broken.

“I did have a bad feeling inside that he might try and hang himself, but I knew his housemate would contact me if there were any problems.”

Speaking about Riverside Park, she added: “I think he may go there if he has any bad thoughts.”

PC Coughlin of Hampshire Police said there was no evidence that a third party was involved in the death, but that there what appeared to be a ligature mark on a nearby tree.

Mr Short confirmed the cause of Mr Aukselis’s death could not be ascertained.

“It is possible that he may have gone to the scene and died of exposure, but I do not think that is likely,” he said.

Mr Short recorded a narrative conclusion, stating that he thought Mr Aukselis hung himself although the evidence was inconclusive.