Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a torso was found wrapped in plastic at a nature reserve in Greater Manchester.

Part of a dismembered body, consisting of the bottom of the back, buttocks and thigh, were found in clear plastic by a passerby at Kersal Dale Wetlands in Salford on 4 April.

The men, from Salford, were arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday, Greater Manchester police (GMP) said. They are believed to be known to each other.

The victim is understood to be a white man over the age of 40. He is thought to have been dead only for a matter of days.

A 42-year-old man was arrested after officers stormed a bus on Eccles Old Road at about midday on Thursday, the force said. Later in the day, a 68-year-old man was arrested at an address on Worsley Road on suspicion of murder.

The force said the arrests came after its officers had trawled through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, which helped them trace a person of interest.

A 20-year-old man previously arrested on suspicion of murder was later released on bail pending further inquiries.

Det Supt Lewis Hughes of GMP’s serious crime division said: “Today’s arrests are undoubtedly a significant step in our investigation, and our focus now is questioning the men in custody, which could be key to finding answers.”

He said officers are continuing to work round the clock, following all established lines of inquiry, and that further searches will be conducted in the coming days.

The statement continued: “This victim could be a father, brother, son, or cousin. He is a man over the age of 40, with white skin tone, believed to be European, and most likely had blond or light brown hair and blue eyes.”

He appealed for anyone missing a loved one who matches the description to come forward, and asked people to “please think of the victim, and family that will one day hear the most devastating news”.