Gaynor Lord latest: Body found in river in search for missing Norwich mother

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Specialist divers have found a body in the search for missing Norwich mother Gaynor Lord.

After a week of searching, Norfolk Police confirmed that the body was pulled from the River Wensum by underwater search teams on Friday morning.

A Norfolk Police spokesperson said: “While the body hasn’t formally been identified, Gaynor’s family have been informed. They continue to be supported by specially trained officers.”

Police were seen marking out a specific part of the water earlier with an orange buoy earlier in the morning, around 100 metres down stream from where the focus of Thursday’s search took place.

Police divers with flippers were already preparing to enter the water further along the river, but after a phone call was received, they packed up their kit and rediverted just after 11am.

Ms Gaynor was reported missing after she failed to return home from work in Norwich city centre last Friday.

CCTV footage captured her leaving Jarrolds department store over an hour before her shift was due to end and walking in a hurry towards Wensum Park.

Her belongings, including clothing, jewellery and her mobile phone, were later found by a member of the public that evening.

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Show latest update

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The latest police update as officers confirmed they found a body

Gaynor Lord police give update after body found in search for missing mother

Police have said there is no evidence of third-party involvement after a body was found in the search for missing mother-of-three Gaynor Lord. Norfolk Police said the body of a female was recovered from the River Wensum in Norwich on Friday (15 December), a week after she disappeared. Two members of the dive team could be seen recovering the body from the river in Norwich on Friday after marking the area of water with an orange buoy. In a statement to reporters after the discovery, Chief Superintendent Dave Buckley said: “We remain open-minded to the circumstances of Gaynor’s disappearance and we’ll continue to pursue all lines of inquiry to ascertain why she went missing.”

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 17:301702659639

What happened to her possessions?

Police have found a number of her belongings scattered in Wensum Park next to the river where they are conducting the main search.

Clothing, a mobile phone and glasses were found dispersed around the park 1.5 miles from her workplace in a department store. Her coat was found in the River Wensum itself.

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 17:001702657839

The Dean of Norwich, The Very Revd Dr Andrew Braddock, has offered his support to the family and invites those affected by the tragedy to find respite at Norwich Cathedral.

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 16:301702656014

The missed call to a friend

On the day Ms Lord disappeared, her friend Ms Butcher said she was called by her twice.

The first call she received was at 2.15pm, 30 minutes before Ms Lord left her place of work early, Ms Butcher told LBC.

She says Ms Lord was calling to ask her whereabouts. Ms Butcher picked up but said she had to go as she was sorting her internet and and a client called her, but she would return the call.

When she tried to return the call a few minutes later and then again after more time had passed, she could not get through, she told the broadcaster.

She received another call at 4.15pm, 15 minutes after she was last seen on CCTV, which sounded like a pocket dial, Ms Butcher said.

“I keep going over the conversation,” Ms Butcher said. “If I hadn’t answered that call [from her client] would she have talked to me? I feel terrible. I feel so sorry for the family.

“It’s not like Gaynor to do this,” she told the BBC.

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 16:001702654816

Timeline of last known movements of missing mother-of-three Gaynor Lord

Police have been carrying out a massive search for mother-of-three Gaynor Lord who has been missing for more than six days after leaving early from her work at a Norwich department store.

Here is a timeline of what we know of the last movements of the 55-year-old and of the investigation by Norfolk Constabulary into her disappearance in Norwich.

Read the full story here

Timeline of last known movements of missing mother-of-three Gaynor Lord

Police have been carrying out a massive search for Ms Lord who has been missing for more than six days.

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 15:401702653819

Where was the body found?

Specialist divers have pulled a body from the river in their week-long search for missing mother Gaynor Lord.

The body was found in the River Wensum, which runs through the park Ms Lord’s belongings were found in last Friday.

According to local reports, the body was found several hundred metres south of the park.

Divers were seen diverting to a specific spot in the river marked out by an orange buoy at 11am this morning and the body was found nearby at around 12pm.

The spot is around 100 metres down stream from where the focus of Thursday’s search took place.

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 15:231702652414

Mapped – Last known movements of Gaynor Lord in Norwich

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 15:001702652005

Watch – Police give update after body found in search for missing mother

Gaynor Lord: Police give update after body found in search for missing motherLydia Patrick15 December 2023 14:531702651708

Media Briefing – Still a missing persons case

Chief Superintendent Dave Buckley confirmed the finding of a body in the River Wensum but no formal identification has taken place.

They are confident based on evidence at this stage that Gaynor did not meet anyone on her way to Wensum Park.

He added: “I would like to thank the media and the public for their continued support through this difficult time.”

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 14:481702651232

Live – Media briefing

Chief Superintendent Dave Buckley from Norwich Police said their thoughts are with Gaynor Lord’s family who are being supported ‘by a family liaison officer.

The force remain ‘open-minded’ about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and will contine to pursue all lines of inquiry , he added.

He said: “This remains a missing perons enquiry we are satisfied at the moment that Gaynor did not meet anyone on the way to the park.”

Lydia Patrick15 December 2023 14:40NewerOlder✕

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