The body of a teenage girl has been found at a popular lake after emergency services launched a huge search earlier today.
Police, search and rescue and an air ambulance descended on Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Merseyside, in the huge response as officers said they were worried for the safety of a young girl.
Reports circulating on social media claimed that someone had fallen into the water. The incident took place around 12.30pm today and a helicopter was said to have been circling above the lake.
A police cordon was put in place, and images from the scene show the huge emergency response with rescue teams were in the water and close to the lake's edge.
A short time ago, Merseyside Police Chief Inspector for St Helens Paul Holden confirmed that the body of a teenage girl has now been found, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Officers told staff at the nearby Toby Carvery, which backs onto the Carr Mill Dam, not to allow people into the back near the water.
In a statement, Merseyside Police said: "We can confirm that emergency services are responding to a concern for safety in St Helens today, Thursday 1 June.
"At around 12.30pm we received a report of a concern for safety of a teenage girl at Carr Mill Dam on Garswood Old Road. This incident is ongoing, and we ask people to avoid the area while we deal with this incident and thank you for your patience."
A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue said: "We can confirm that emergency services are responding to a concern for safety in St Helens today, Thursday 1 June.
"At around 12.30pm we received a report of a concern for safety of a teenage girl at Carr Mill Dam on Garswood Old Road.
"This incident is ongoing, and we ask people to avoid the area while we deal with this incident and thank you for your patience."
The cordon was then extended and the crowd that had gathered was dispersed, with access to the dam completely blocked.
The OYO Lakeside Haydock hotel was also been blocked off by a police cordon, The Liverpool Echo reported.
North West Ambulance Service confirmed that they were "assisting with the ongoing incident at Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, alongside other emergency service colleagues".
Around 3pm this afternoon, at least two underwater search units arrived at the scene.
