Body found in quarry search near Southam for teen swimmer
- Published
The search at Blue Pool began on Thursday evening
Police searching for a 17-year-old boy who went missing while swimming at a disused quarry have found a body.
The teenager, who has not been named, disappeared at Blue Pool, near the village of Bishops Itchington, at about 18:20 BST on Thursday.
Firefighters and specialist water rescue crews were involved in the search and found a body at about 10:50.
Warwickshire Police said formal identification has not taken place, but the boy's next of kin have been told.
A report will be prepared for the coroner in due course, the force added.
A body was found at the disused quarry on Friday morning
Insp Rupert Atkinson said: "The family are being supported by specially trained officers and we would ask that people respect their privacy at this difficult time.
"I would like to thank everyone in the local community and on social media who has offered their help since yesterday evening."
West Midlands Ambulance Service, which sent crews on Thursday, said it was told on arrival that a male had "got into difficulty in the water" but the search was stood down overnight before specialist water rescue teams returned on Friday morning.
In November, it was reported in parish council documents that there were "still some outstanding legal matters" to be resolved before Bishop's Hill nature reserve, of which it said the Blue Pool was part, was transferred to Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.
The pool had been due to be risk assessed with the help of the Disused Quarries Association, the documents said.
Specialist water rescue teams returned to the site on Friday morning to continue the search
Clerk to Bishops Itchington Parish Council, Alison Biddle, said: "The Blue Pool is part of a much larger site which has been the subject of extensive planning applications over the last few years.
"It is my understanding that the pool forms part of the area designated for a nature reserve which was due to be transferred to Warwickshire Wildlife Trust at some point but I don't know if the transfer has actually taken place yet as there has been some delay."
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust said it was not appropriate for it to comment as it had not yet taken over control of the site.
A spokesman for construction company David Wilson Homes, which is working on a development adjacent to the pool, said: "As part of the planning application for the future phase of the development we have proposed fencing, dense landscaping and strategic placing of roads to restrict access to the pool from our development."
"Our thoughts are with all involved at this difficult time," they added.
The Disused Quarries Association are yet to comment.