A desperate search for Luke Howe - a 'very vulnerable' boy of 14 - has ended in heartbreak. Police called off the major operation when a body was tragically found in the River Bollin.
Specialist crews had been searching since Thursday evening (January 19), working through the night into Friday morning. The major emergency services operation was launched when Luke went missing from his grandparents' home in Hale, Trafford at around 6.15pm.
He was last seen on Bankhall Lane. Searches focused on the River Bollin in Hale and the River Mersey in neighbouring south Manchester.
Drones were used, as well as sniffer dogs and specialist response units. Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link No sooner had Luke's family set up a public Facebook group appealing for help than dozens of members of the community offered their support.