DETECTIVES probing the York body-in-a-suitcase mystery today released an image of a man they hope can help them solve the riddle.

The man was seen by a villager in the country lane near Askham Richard on the day the suitcase containing a bound woman's body was first spotted.

The villager had also seen a dark saloon parked in the lane and saw the man in his headlights standing in the middle of the road near to where the suitcase was found.

The sighting happened at about 4.10am on Friday, November 2 - the earliest day the police have been able to put the suitcase at the scene.

The man had found it suspicious that somebody was in the lane at that time in the morning.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Ankers, who is leading the investigation, gave a description of the man at a press conference at York Police Station today, where an e-fit image of the man was released.

The man is white, in his late 30s to early 40s, about 6ft tall with a thin face. He had dark brown scruffy hair and heavy stubble. He was wearing a black ski-type waterproof jacket which was bulky and was zipped up to the neck and possibly had a hood. He was also wearing dark jeans or trousers and black gloves.

The car that was seen parked on the left-hand side of the lane, which is known as Askham Fields, 20-30 metres from the Askham Richard end, was simply described as a dark coloured saloon. Police inquiries are continuing to get more information on the car.

Det Chief Insp Ankers said: "Obviously we want to identify this man. My main appeal is to ask him to come forward so he can be eliminated from the inquiry but also to ask anyone who recognises him to come forward."

The incident room can be contacted on 01904 618618.

Mr Ankers said the identity of the dead woman was still not known. Initial tests have shown she is of Asian or Oriental origin and is aged between 20 and 40.

The investigating team is still awaiting the results of forensic tests which should give them a cause of death and other information about the body.

Mr Ankers said there had been a poor response to appeals over the distinctive Gilbert and George tape which the woman was bound and gagged with. He said of the 1,400 rolls sold exclusively at the country's four Tate Galleries, detectives had so far only traced a very small number.

Updated: 12:06 Tuesday, December 04, 2001