A man has been found dead in a canal, police have confirmed, after emergency services were in attendance at the scene for more than 12 hours. Residents first reported seeing emergency services on the bridge over the Rochdale Canal on Well I' ’Th Lane and Milkstone Road, Rochdale, around 11pm last night (October 31) with teams searching the water.
Police and fire underwater search teams were seen again searching the section of canal near the road this morning (November 1) before a body was pulled out of the water. Police have now confirmed this to be the body of a man.
Initial enquiries suggest there are no suspicious circumstances to this death. However, police are appealing for witnesses who may have been on the canal path and seen an elderly man feeding ducks between 12pm and 5pm yesterday.
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Residents speaking to the MEN on Well i' th' Lane told how they had not been told by emergency services why they were searching the canal despite their prolonged presence there. Many expressed their sadness at seeing the canal closed off, with it being a very busy and popular section to walk along.
One stood on the canal path said: "I'm telling people to move away as there's loads of people coming down still, it looks a bit disturbing so I don't want people getting too close. It's such a shame."
A resident on Anne Line Close, which looks over the canal, said: "We first saw emergency services around 11pm last night and the fire service were there for a few hours. Some left around 3am but came back at 4am and were diving in the canal, we also saw a stretcher get taken down but we haven't been told what's going on."
The scene was scaled down around midday with the road remaining shut to traffic. A crime scene investigation officer could be seen taking pictures of the area around that time.
A GMP Rochdale spokesman said: "We're investigating the death of a man who was found in the canal by Well I' ’Th Lane & Milkstone Road, Rochdale. Initial enquiries suggest there are no suspicious circumstances, but GMP are appealing for witnesses who were in the location of the canal path on Monday (31/10/22) between 12pm and 5pm who may have seen an elderly male feeding ducks."
Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP on 101 quoting incident 755 of 1/11/22 or contact Rochdale CID direct on 0161 856 8635. This can also be done anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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