The bodies of 19 people who died mysteriously lie unidentified in Sussex morgues, new figures reveal.

All died in unusual circumstances and they have never been identified. Some date back nearly ten years.

The National Missing Persons Helpline (NMPH) said Sussex has a particularly high number compared to other counties because many of the bodies wash up on beaches.

Suicide hotspots such as Beachy Head also contribute to Sussex's status as a haven for lost souls.

A spokesman said: "Sussex has a geography which would seem to attract these types of cases."

The bodies remain in hospitals in Sussex until they can be identified. Often that can take years and eventually DNA samples are taken before the bodies are disposed of.

Those who remain unidentified in Sussex include a man, aged between 20 and 30, whose body was found burnt at the bottom of a ravine in Fairlight, near Rye in 1997.

Another, known only as case 0224, had been hit around the head and immersed in water. The man, also between 20 and 30, was found naked on a beach near Eastbourne.

Case 0502 is that of a man aged between 30 and 40 who was found in a car park in Brighton. A fourth, case 0058, is a woman washed up on the beach at Rottingdean in 1997.

They are typical of 19 cases listed on the NMPH website missingpersons.org.

Sophie Woodforde, from NMPH, said: "The families we speak to tell us that even to know the worst is better than knowing nothing at all."

Most cases in Sussex come from the east side of the county. West Sussex Coroner's Office said has no outstanding unidentified bodies. Coroner's officer Cliff Clinch said: "The last one we had was a fisherman who was washed up on Felpham beach last May."

The NMPH can be contacted on 0500 700700 or via the website.