Police probe South Devon body-in-canal mystery

Detectives are trying to trace the last movements of a man whose body was found in the canal near Newton Abbot.

They are not yet treating the death as suspicious but unexplained.

Police were called just before 3am yesterday, December 10, following concerns for a man in his 60s who had failed to return to his Teigngrace home following a night out in Newton Abbot.

He was located in the water at Stover Canal off Exeter Road near to MT Tums Café, Teigngrace, around 10.30am.

Sadly, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

Detectives are carrying out enquiries into the circumstances of his death which is currently being treated as unexplained.

They are appealing to the public for any sightings of the man walking in the Exeter Road area between 10.30pm and 11.45pm on Saturday December 9.

He is described as white and around 6ft tall with short sandy/grey hair. He was wearing a Rab navy blue sweatshirt, black jogging bottoms, and grey suede trainers with turquoise laces.

Detective Sergeant Martin Key said: “At this time we are not treating the death as suspicious but as unexplained. We are working to trace the man’s movements in the hours before his death and would like to hear from anyone who may have seen him on foot in the Exeter Road area between the stated times.

“We would also like to hear from anyone who may have captured the man on CCTV or vehicle dashcam.”

If you have any information to assist with enquiries please contact police online or by telephone on 101, quoting reference 50230320964.

Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers via www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by phoning 0800 555111.

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