Body found in search for boy, 17, last seen swimming in Cheshire lake

Pickmere Lake

Officers remain at the scene at Pickmere Lake

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George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 27/05/2026

- 11:58

Updated: 27/05/2026

- 12:21

Officers remain at the scene at Pickmere Lake, near Northwich

Officers searching for a 17-year-old boy last seen in a Cheshire lake have recovered a body.

A Cheshire Constabulary spokesman said officers were called to reports of a missing boy last seen in the water at Pickmere Lake, near Northwich, at 4.50pm on Tuesday.


Extensive searches were carried out and a body, believed to be the missing teenager, was later recovered from the lake, the spokesman said.

Chief Inspector Jamie Lewis said: "This was a young boy who had his entire life ahead of him. At what is an incredibly difficult time, our thoughts remain with the boy’s family, friends and everyone who knew him."

He added: "Over the bank holiday weekend, we have sadly seen the very real dangers of swimming in open water.

"We understand that with the warm weather many people could be tempted to take a dip in open water to cool off, but residents must be aware of the potential deadly consequences."

The record for the highest daily minimum temperature in May has provisionally been broken for a third night in a row, the Met Office said.

In a post on social media, the forecaster said the temperature did not drop below 21.4C in Camborne, Cornwall overnight.

Pickmere Lake

A missing boy last seen in the water at Pickmere Lake

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Meanwhile, a 15-year-old girl is in a critical condition after getting into difficulties in the water at Formby beach on Monday, Merseyside Police said.

A force spokesman said emergency services were called to the beach at about 3.30pm on the bank holiday.

The girl was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and remains in a critical condition, the spokesman said.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Nuttall said: "We know that Formby beach was exceptionally busy on bank holiday Monday but I would appeal for anyone who witnessed this incident or has any information which could assist our inquiries to get in touch as a matter of urgency."

Formby Beach near Liverpool

The girl got into trouble Formby Beach near Liverpool

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DCI Nuttall continued: "Our officers and I would also like to offer our gratitude to the members of the public who came to the assistance of the 15-year-old girl and her family during such tragic circumstances on Formby beach.

"At this stage we believe the girl got into difficulties in the water and members of the public came to her aid."

A 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty at Leadbeater Dam, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, on Monday and the body of a teenage girl was recovered from the water at Kingsbury Water Park, Warwickshire.

The same day, a man in his 60s died of cardiac arrest after entering the sea at Tregirls Beach, Padstow, to help two family members who were in difficulty, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

\u200bPolice tape cordons off Pickmere Lake

Police tape cordons off Pickmere Lake

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The body of a fourth teenager was recovered from the water at Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, South Yorkshire Police said.

And on Tuesday evening, Lancashire Police said a body had been recovered from the River Ribble after a 12-year-old boy got into difficulty while swimming with friends at Ribchester.

The RNLI warned of the “very real risk” of swimming in open water during the heatwave and said that while temperatures have hit record highs for May, water temperatures remained low and this could lead to cold water shock.