The body found in a North Yorkshire canal is that of missing Bury woman Sandrea Pilkington, North Yorkshire police have confirmed.
Officers were called to the Leeds and Liverpool canal in Kildwick on Tuesday morning, after a passer-by spotted what they believed to be a body floating in the canal.
Following the discovery of the body on Tuesday, police called off the search for Mrs Pilkington from Ramsbottom, Bury, who was reported missing by her family on Sunday evening.
Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, the Head of North Yorkshire Police’s major crime unit said: “I would like to thank all those people who have already come forward and provided information about Mrs Pilkington’s movements.
“Their assistance has been of great value. This, combined with CCTV work and house-to-house enquiries has given us some detail of her movements in the village.
“However, we still have gaps in that timeline and I am keen to establish if she stayed anywhere else in the village or approached people for assistance.”
Detectives established that Mrs Pilkington took a taxi from Ramsbottom to Skipton early on Monday morning before spending the day alone in the Kildwick area, where she was last seen in the White Horse public house.
Det Supt Malyn added: “We still have gaps in that timeline and I am keen to establish if she stayed anywhere else in the village or approached people for assistance.
“I am aware many years ago she had a connection to the village and may have been married at the church. Her maiden name was Longmore so I am hoping this also prompts further information.
“Clearly why and how she ended up in the canal remains a priority for us to establish.”
Anyone who can assist with this enquiry should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 – select option 1 – and pass the information to the Force Control Room.
