Lewis Penfold-Roche: Police confirm body in river is missing teen

Lewis Penfold-Roche went missing on 28 January and his body was found on 11 March

Police have confirmed that a body found in a river is that of a missing teenager.

Lewis Penfold-Roche, from Billingham, County Durham, had been missing since 28 January.

A body was found in the river near to the Tees Barrage in Stockton at about 15:20 GMT on 11 March.

It was officially identified to be Mr Penfold-Roche and Cleveland Police said they were not treating his death as suspicious.

They said a report would be drawn up for the coroner.

Officers were searching for Mr Penfold-Roche since he went missing and after initial searches proved unsuccessful, they widened their search to woodland near Billingham Beck Valley Country Park.

On 7 March marine units were brought in to search the area near Charlton's Pond.

His mother, Donna Roche, had issued a message to her son to come home.

Mr Penfold-Roche was last seen on CCTV footage at an Esso garage at about 08:15 GMT on 28 January.

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