Emergency services seached for 72 hours after canoeist reported missing

POLICE confirmed that the body of a man had been discovered in a Fenland river this morning (Thursday).

Officers said a member of the public saw a body floating in the River Ouse near The Swan pub, Littleport, at about 5.30am and immediately contacted emergency services.

Formal identification has yet to take place, but it is believed that the body is that of a 72-year-old man who fell out of his canoe into the river on Monday.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire police said: 'A body was discovered by a member of the public this morning but there has not yet been any identification. Officers have been in contact with members of the family.'

The spokesman added that officers had informed colleagues across the border in Norfolk of the incident.

The news comes just a day after the search to find the man was called off after rescue teams failed to find him after 72-hours of searching.

Fire crews joined search and rescue teams and the police helicopter on a stretch of the River Ouse near Branch Bank, Littleport on Monday night in response to reports that a man had fallen out of a canoe.

It is understood that a child, who was also in the canoe with the man, was pulled to safety but despite frantic searching, the man could not be found.

Spartan rescue teams, which specialise in emergency search and rescue, continued the hunt throughout Tuesday and Wednesday using boats but no trace of the man was found.

It is believed that the man, who police have said is not from East Cambridgeshire, was on holiday with family in the area when the incident occurred at about 3.30pm on Monday and was staying at a local caravan park.

A police helicopter from Suffolk was called in along with fire engines from Ely, Littleport and Cambridge.