POLICE in India have told the family of murdered wildlife artist David Green that he may have been the victim of a failed robbery.

The body of the 53-year-old Darlington nature lover was expected to be brought back to the region last night.

The freelance artist was thought to have been shot as he painted a picture of a jungle temple near the town of Orchha, in central India, on Thursday, January 15.

Detectives believe Mr Green, a well-respected figure among naturalists and conservationists across the region, was murdered during a robbery. They have yet to make an arrest.

Manmeet Narang, Superintendent of Police, said they had leads on Mr Green's death and had questioned more than 40 known criminals.

His brother Michael, 56, who has travelled from his Cambridgeshire home to be with his mother, Edna, in Darlington, spoke to Supt Narang yesterday.

He said: "It was the first time I had actually spoken to anyone over there about it.

"He seemed to think it was a freak incident. They are treating it as a robbery and murder."

The Foreign Office confirmed that investigations were continuing.

The killing happened on the day when thousands of pilgrims arrived in Orchha for a Hindu festival.

Police have spoken to hundreds of the pilgrims in the hope of finding Mr Green's killers.

Supt Narang said: "People have been very shaken by what has happened.

"This is a very peaceful and spiritual place. This is a one-off. We believe criminals from outside who were visiting the festival were to blame."

His family must wait to find out if an inquest into his death will have to be held before funeral arrangements can be made.

Robert Crake, of Crake and Mallon funeral directors, said: "The local coroner has to be informed of anybody being repatriated in the UK and then they will decide whether or not an inquest will have to be carried out."

Michael Green said the past week had been hard for the family, but said it was a relief to have his brother's body back home.