Allens Garden in Hackney. Pic: The Allens Garden Facebook page

The dead body of a man was found today in a children’s playground in Stoke Newington, although it is not known if there are any suspicious circumstances.

Police are making inquiries to identify the man, who was found in the playground at Allens Gardens, a popular green space off Bethune Road by a member of the public at 7:50am this morning. A police forensic examiner and officers were called to the scene and the person was pronounced dead.

A witness at the scene reported seeing a “white tent in the children’s playground” and “people in white boiler suits searching the area”.

The Allens Garden area is known by locals to be home to rough sleepers, who are often removed by police, fuelling speculation that the body may have been that of a homeless man.

The park is also home to Growing Communities, a food growing enterprise.

A post-mortem examination is yet to be arranged and police inquiries are continuing.