Police issue apology after wrongly identifying body

Yesterday morning, officers announced that remains found in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, on Saturday had been identified as those of 83-year-old Reginald Howse, who went missing from his home nearby last month.

But less than three hours later police said they had made a mistake – and Mr Howse was still missing.

Officers then said they thought that the body was that of a 73-year-old man who disappeared on Saturday.

A Cambridgeshire Police spokeswoman said they were checking to try to confirm the dead man's identity.