Police have confirmed the body of a man has been recovered from a lake at a Cheshire beauty spot.
Hatchmere Lake near Norley was the focus of a massive police search yesterday (Sunday, April 3) following fears for the safety of a man seen near the water in the early hours.
The underwater search team, comprising specialist police divers, recovered his body from the lake later on Sunday, at about 2pm.
He is believed to be a 54-year-old man from St Helens.
Cheshire Police spokesman Daniel Hind said: “At approximately 00.40am on Sunday 3rd April Cheshire Police were called to reports of concerns for the safety of a man who had been seen near to Hatchmere Lake.
“After receiving the report, officers conducted a thorough search of the local area and at approximately 2pm officers recovered a body from the lake.
“The body is believed to be that of a 54-year-old man from St Helens, although formal identification has yet to take place.”
Mr Hind added: ”The death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
Police had to restrict public access to certain areas of the popular beauty spot throughout yesterday.
And the force tweeted at the time to say they were ‘concentrating search efforts’ in the area ‘following reports of concern for a motorist seen in the vicinity last night’.
Hatchmere is a small lake and nature reserve in Delamere Forest where people picnic, swim and go fishing.
Witness Claire McCormick wrote on Facebook yesterday: “We passed through this on our way home a few hours ago, was a huge police presence and CSI vans, didn’t look good.”
Wendy Ellis also posted: “Police asked to search a stream that leads off from the lake on to my parents property. Nothing was found though. Underwater search team are there.”
Denise Harding later posted on The Chronicle Facebook page ‘Body found in the water this afternoon’, to which Rachael Gilbert responded: “How sad.”
