Following on from our report of yesterday in to a missing man from the Leigh area, (See incident 67 of 1st July) this morning our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE continued in discussions with GMP, regards an envisaged multi team search operation this evening, also being in contact with Team Leader Simon Lane of Cheshire SART and Andrew Simpson, Deputy Team Leader of Rossendale and Pendle MRT.

Further pager messages were sent to our members to finalise RVP arrangements, whilst our Team President Bob Hutchinson purchased a large quantity of food to provide full catering for the sixty plus volunteer MRT / SART members and Police Officers expected.

Meanwhile GMP search operations were taking place in the Pennington Flash Country Park area, which also included a request for assistance from the GMFRS TRU (Technical Rescue Unit) team.

Very sadly mid afternoon, a body was located by a GMP Police Officer in a small pocket of woodland, near to the Golf Course adjacent to the Country Park, and near to Atherleigh Way, Leigh.

Our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE was contacted to stand down all volunteer MRT / SART resources.

GMP Superintendent Jacqui Pendlebury later this evening, emailed our Team Leader asking that her thanks be passed on to all MRT and SART members who had given their time to date in this search and to those who had volunteered to take part in the subsequently cancelled search operation.

At the time of stand down, Cheshire Search and Rescue Team had 20x confirmed members attending, Rossendale and Pendle MRT 10x and ourselves 30x plus members and three members of our Support Group.

The condolences of the team and that of Cheshire SART and Rossendale and Pendle MRT are extended in relation to the sad conclusion to this search.