No evidence of third party involvement after body found in Gaynor Lord search
A body was recovered from the River Wensum in Norwich on Friday.
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Your support makes all the difference.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, 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.
“I’m keen to say this remains a missing person inquiry at this stage.
“I am also satisfied at the moment, based on the evidence that we have, that Gaynor did not meet anyone on the way to the park, and we now have a better understanding of her movements through the city centre.”
He added: “I would reiterate at this stage that there is no evidence of third party involvement. Nothing in our inquiries have changed this position.”
Floral tributes to Ms Lord were laid near the gates of Wensum Park after the discovery.
One of them said: “Gaynor may you be at peace. God bless your family.”
Ms Lord, 55, disappeared after leaving work early in Norwich city centre at 2.45pm.
Her belongings were found in Wensum Park, about 1.5 miles from her workplace at Jarrolds department store, and her coat was discovered in the river that runs through the park.
I would reiterate at this stage that there is no evidence of third party involvement. Nothing in our inquiries have changed this position
Police said Ms Lord’s clothing, mobile phone, glasses and jewellery, including two rings, were discovered at various places in the park.
On Friday an orange buoy was positioned about 100 metres downstream from where the focus of the search had been the day before.
An Environment Agency search boat was then stationed next to the buoy as a dive team arrived just after 11am.
Two members of the specialist dive team could be seen surveying the area, appearing to check if the water was safe to enter.
Police divers with flippers could be seen ready to enter the water in a park area further along the river but after a phone call was received, their kit was packed up and they rediverted.
At about 12pm, officers could be seen recovering something from the river in a black bag.
Mr Buckley said specialist family liaison officers were supporting Ms Lord’s family, and a post-mortem examination would need to be completed to establish the cause of death.
He added that ongoing investigations were “predominantly focused on the river and the park”.
Police previously confirmed they consulted officers from Lancashire Constabulary who worked on the search for Nicola Bulley.
Ms Bulley’s body was found in the River Wyre in Lancashire on February 19.
The Lancashire force was criticised over its handling of that investigation and the disclosure of Ms Bulley’s personal information.