A POLICE forensic team is continuing to comb a house in York as part of the investigation into the murder a man found dead in a Selby canal.

Three forensic officers resumed their search yesterday, scouring an empty semi-detached house on Heslington Lane, near the University of York, as part of their investigation into the death of Cai Guan Chen.

The 38-year old Chinese national had been living illegally in Britain since 2001 under the fake name Bing Lin.

He was only identified on Tuesday – nearly six weeks after his body was discovered by an off-duty policeman whilst fishing in Selby Canal on March 20, between Burn and Brayton, near the A19.

As reported yesterday in The Press, residents living near the Heslington Lane area have said that at least three or four Chinese people had rented the property for several years, before leaving in early March.

It is believed the property in question has been under surveillance since the discovery of the victim.

North Yorkshire police have said that the body may have been in the canal for two or three weeks before it was discovered.

It is thought that Chen lived in numerous locations around the UK and that his last-known address was in London.

A police spokeswoman said: “Investigations are continuing to trace the people responsible for his death and police are following a number of positive leads.”