MURDERED father-to-be Stacey Lloyd may have been the victim of a gangland execution.

The body of 31-year-old Mr Lloyd, of Ripon Close, Whitefield, was found dumped in the boot of his burned-out car abandoned on remote Griffe Lane, Unsworth, on Sunday night.

He had a single bullet wound to his head.

Now Mr Lloyd's pregnant partner has made an emotional appeal for information as murder squad detectives stepped-up their search for his brutal killers.

His distraught partner Kimberley Kirkham (23), who is expecting his son, said: "Stacey's death has left everyone devastated. This is a desperately sad time for us. Stacey was well-known and well-liked. He was much loved and will be very sadly missed.

"I want to appeal to anyone with information to please come forward and contact police."

The grim discovery of Mr Lloyd's body was made by Whitefield firefighters who dealt with the car fire at Griffe Lane, near the bridge over the M66, at 10.40pm on Sunday. Police were called to the scene and a cordon was thrown around the area.

On Monday, forensic officers made a painstaking examination of the murder scene. Detectives also set up a mobile police station in Castle Road and carried out door-to-door inquiries.

Mr Lloyd, the father of a five-year-old daughter, left his house at about 6.20pm on Saturday, and had planned to run a few errands.

Miss Kirkham was expecting him back home later that night. But when he did not return the next morning, she contacted the police.

Detectives believe the Subaru Impreza, registration X194 AKW, was driven to Griffe Lane and may have been accompanied by another vehicle.

The car, which police believe was driven to the site between 7pm and 7.30pm on Sunday, was deliberately set ablaze using an accelerant. It was removed from the scene to undergo forensic examination.

A Home Office post mortem disclosed that Mr Lloyd died from a single bullet to the head and not as a result of the fire.

At a press conference held at the scene on Thursday, Det Supt Kevin Duffy said that although Mr Lloyd was known to the police, they were keeping an open mind about the reasons for his death.

He said: "This incident is being treated as a murder inquiry but we are keeping an open mind about the motive. Stacey was known to the police, but this has no bearing on the inquiries. No-one deserves to die in this way.

"The fire was a deliberate act to destroy the evidence. We do not know if Stacey was killed here or elsewhere and his body brought here.

"We are hoping that someone can give us more information about Stacey, a possible motive and about his vehicle. His blue Subaru Impreza was quite distinctive, with gold alloy wheels."

The murder hunt is being led by officers from Greater Manchester Police's Force Major Incident Team (FMIT). An incident room has been set up in Ashton-under-Lyne. Anyone with information should telephone 856 9283 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.