A REFUSE collector has told of his grisly discovery when he found a body hanging in a Hackney churchyard on his way to work...

A REFUSE collector has told of his grisly discovery when he found a body hanging in a Hackney churchyard on his way to work.

John Sylvester, 44, of Chatsworth Road, Lower Clapton, spotted the body of the 19-year-old man in St John at Hackney churchyard.

"I was walking through the church gardens and I thought I saw someone standing up in the walled garden area," he said.

"At first, I didn't think it was a dead body, but as I got closer I could see a man had tied himself to a rope.

"There were about four other people just walking past and not doing anything and I couldn't believe it."

Mr Sylvester made the discovery as he was walking through the churchyard in Lower Clapton Road at 6.30am on Monday.

The married father-of-one was on his way to Mare Street to catch a bus to Islington for his morning shift.

He said the victim, who had not been named by yesterday (Wednesday) morning, had tied himself to the overhanging fence trellis in the walled garden area of the churchyard.

Mr Sylvester informed officers at Hackney police station in Lower Clapton Road and led them to the scene.

A spokeswoman for Hackney police confirmed the man's death was not being treated as suspicious.

An inquest was opened and adjourned at Poplar coroner's court on Wednesday.

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