A massive police investigation has been launched into the brutal murder of a man who was last seen in a launderette in Potters Bar.

Fifty-nine-year-old John William Harvey's smouldering body was found on April 25 in a field near Killington Lake, Cumbria, by a passing motorist who had stopped to investigate rising smoke.

The market trader from Enfield was last seen at 11.15am on April 22 at the Mastercare Valet Services launderette in High Street, Potters Bar. He was well-known in the East End, especially among the boxing fraternity, and had the nickname John-John.

Officers were conducting door-to-door inquiries in Enfield this week, and interviewing people that may have known his movements.

A post mortem showed Mr Harvey died from head injuries, possibly inflicted hours before his body was found.

Cumbrian police are heading the investigation, and 30 officers have been sent to London to investigate the murder.

A police spokesman said: "The inquiry is made more complex by the fact that we are dealing with two locations where he was last seen and where his body was found. They are separated by a considerable period of time and several hundred miles."

Police are also trying to trace two cars which Mr Harvey often used a silver Vauxhall Corsa with the registration DN51 WZD, and a black Fiat Punto, with the registration YJ02 OOF.

If you have any information, call police on 01539 722611, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

May 7, 2003 12:30