A post mortem has confirmed a 30-year-old Christchurch man who died overnight was a victim of a hit and run.
Police say Steffan Pearce-Loe was walking his two dogs across Gayhurst Road, just north of the bridge over the Avon River, when he was struck by a vehicle in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cottam said police wanted to talk to the driver.
"They may have been unaware of what they've actually struck.
"Mr Pearce-Loe was walking two dogs so they may have only seen the dogs, and thought they may have struck one of those and didn't stop - or they may have thought they had just hit some debris on the road."
He asked the driver to come forward to help provide some answers for the family.
A car part found by police at the scene. Photo: Supplied / Police
The post mortem has confirmed Mr Pearce-Loe died of injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle.
Mr Cottam said police were continuing to examine CCTV footage in the area, and were trying to identify broken car parts left at the scene.
Anyone who saw Mr Pearce-Loe walking two dogs in the Dallington area about midnight on Wednesday, or has any information, has been asked to get in touch.