Body is found in river in York

The discovery follows a number of cases where young people have died after apparently falling or slipping into rivers on their way home following a night out in the city. But North Yorkshire Police said it was far too early to speculate on the circumstances of today’s incident and said initial investigations were now underway to establish the circumstances.

Police were called to the River Foss, near Layerthorpe, in York, where a body was spotted in the water by a member of the public at 11.30am today. The regional Police Underwater Search Unit and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, who launched a boat, were also called to assist.

The body was recovered from the river by the fire boat crew just after 12.20pm.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “Enquiries are at a very early stage to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Anyone with information that could assist officers should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and speak to the Force Control Room.