Police investigating ‘unexplained’ death after body pulled from canal

Police are investigating an ‘unexplained’ death after a body was pulled from a canal in Leicester city centre.

The body was found in the River Soar at around 8am on Saturday, December 21. Formal identification has yet to take place and so far no further details about the person have been given.

Emergency services were called to the scene near St Nicholas Circle at 8.25am yesterday and specialist officers were called in to retrieve the body from the water.

The closure of the towpath from St Augustine Road to beyond the Bath Lane area remained in place until 4pm.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: ‘Police officers, along with other emergency services, were in attendance at the River Soar in Bath Lane, Leicester. This was following a call at 8.25am this morning (Saturday) reporting a body in the water.

‘East Midlands Ambulance Service and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene. Tactical Support Team officers from the force were at the river to recover the body.

‘The circumstances of how the body came to be in the water are being investigated and the death is being treated as unexplained at this time. Formal identification of the person has not yet been carried out.

‘A cordon around Bath Lane is in place to allow for the body to be taken from the water and to effectively carry out enquiries.’

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