DETECTIVES today identified a man found with severe injuries in a Newport city centre car park.

A police spokeswoman said the man, a 76-year-old, was identified as being from the Cardiff area but officers did not release his name.

But how he came to have head and facial injuries, a gash to the top of his head and a fractured cheekbone remains a mystery.

Detective Inspector Dave Edwards said: "We have no idea what happened to this man. It is impossible to say whether his injuries are as a result of an attack or whether he just fell over.

"We are urging anyone with information about what happened to get in touch."

The man was discovered by a passer-by in a car park in Upper Dock Street at 6.30am on Tuesday.

He is in a critical but stable condition at the city's Royal Gwent Hospital.

Yesterday officers conducted a fingertip search of the car park where he was found in a bid to find clues.

Using CCTV, officers have been able to establish the man was in the area of Newport city centre at about 3.20am that morning. What happened to him after that is still unclear.

The man is described as being of a slim build, with grey hair, wearing a black and royal blue mac, a multi-coloured cardigan and black shoes.

He was also in possession of a green keyring with the words'Kiss the Kilkenny' written on it.