A farmer may have been crushed to death by his own car.

A post-mortem has revealed that Julian Gardner died from several fractures to his body and compression type injuries most likely caused by him being pinned between two objects.

Police believe Mr Gardner, who police yesterday said was 53 and not 52 as previously stated, died at his Robertsbridge farm sometime between 11pm on Sunday and 2am on Monday after disturbing a gang of burglars.

Detectives are carrying out forensic examinations on a burnt-out Land Rover Defender known to have been used by Mr Gardner which was discovered in Cripps Corner, about a mile from his farm, on Monday.

A second burnt out 4x4 vehicle, a Cherokee Jeep, was found at a separate location in Sandhurst, also close to the £3 million farm where Mr Gardner and his 90-year-old mother Molly Gardner lived.

Police are trying to establish whether the Jeep and any other vehicles were taken from the yard.

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Hibbert from Sussex Police's Major Crime Branch, who is leading the inquiry, said: “What the post mortem indicated was that Mr Gardner sustained horrific injuries, the breaking of numerous bones.

“His injuries are not an indication of him being run over in the conventional sense.

“His injuries were consistent with being crushed between two objects.

“We’re not ruling out that it could be between two cars, or a car and another inanimate object in that farm.”

Police revealed yesterday that Mr Gardner held a firearms licence and firearms at the farm.

In October 2009 he reported to police an attempted theft at his farm after his neighbour disturbed youths loading vehicle batteries into a wheelbarrow.

Sussex Police want to hear from anyone who might have seen any damaged 4x4 vehicles. Call 0845 6070999 quoting Operation Bradford.