Man deemed to be ‘acting strangely’ in Burnley's Thompson Park was being 'Good Samaritan,' police say

Officers had appealed to the public for help in identifying the man, who they said had been seen behaving unusually in Thompson Park.

The man - who is in his 80s - subsequently came forward and spoke to officers at Burnley Police Station.

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Following their enquiries, police said they were satisfied the man was acting with good intentions and that no criminal offences occurred.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “The man believed he was acting as a Good Samaritan – though his behaviour was initially misconstrued.

“We are satisfied the man acted with good intentions and that no criminal offences have taken place.”

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The force added: “We have seen multiple comments alleging criminality and that some people were frustrated by the wording of the post.

“We want to reassure you that we will always try to give you as much information as we can, however sometimes there are legal and/or investigative reasons why we can’t disclose everything.

“While we appreciate the fantastic support you always give us, we would kindly ask that people don’t engage in unhelpful speculation that causes unnecessary concern.”