TRAGIC FIND
Peter Baglin: Cops searching for man who disappeared in chillingly similar circumstances to Nicola Bulley find body
COPS searching for a missing man who disappeared in chillingly similar circumstances to Nicola Bulley have found human remains.
Hospital porter Peter Baglin, 55, from Greater Manchester, disappeared on December 28 after going for a walk along the nearby Bridgewater canal - just 35 miles from where mum-of-two Nicola Bulley went missing.
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In a chilling echo of the young mum's disappearance, his mobile phone was found abandoned on the grass verge, along with his hat and headphones.
But cops have now confirmed they have sadly found human remains following a further search of the area around Bridgewater canal.
Police tape remained up at the scene tonight, cordoning off the paths along the canal.
The remains have not been formally identified, but Peter’s next of kin has been informed and specialist officers are continuing to support the family and their loved ones.
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The death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances.
Greater Manchester Police have issued a statement, with a spokesperson saying: "Officers from GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit made the discovery on Saturday 4 March 2023 at around 10:48am, following a further search of the area around the Bridgwater Canal in Boothstown.
"The remains have not been formally identified, however Peter’s next of kin has been informed and specialist officers are continuing to support the family and their loved.
"The death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing to establish the surrounding circumstances."
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While Detective Inspector Michael Sharples of the GMP Salford District said: "Though we are not currently in a position to confirm this is Peter, our thoughts remain with his wife Michelle and his loved ones.
"We understand that the last two months have been extremely difficult for them and this continues to be a distressing time for all of Peter’s loved ones.
"Search teams, made up of GMP personnel and colleagues from partner agencies - such as the National Police Air Service, North West Underwater Search Team and Mountain Rescue – have worked extensively to try and find Peter.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has assisted to date, and also to confirm that our enquiries will not stop until we have found the necessary answers for Peter’s loved ones, for our investigation and for coronial proceedings."
Peter was last seen on CCTV buying whisky at a garage in Mossley Common near Worsley.
On a phone call minutes later, he assured wife Michelle he would be home soon - but he never returned.
Peter's heartbroken wife wrote a touching open letter to Nicola Bulley's partner Paul Ansell back in February.
Michelle mentioned that she knew "exactly how you're feeling" after Peter vanished on a walk "just like Nicola".
In the days after his disappearance, Greater Manchester Police had mounted an extensive search for the grandfather, with teams specialising in mountain rescue, underwater searches and drones being deployed.
Police sent divers into the Bridgewater Canal for a second time in recent days as in the hope of potential new leads in the search for the great-grandad.
Last week, efforts ramped up further after a voluntary underwater search team, Beneath the Surface, stepped in to offer help.
They used high frequency sonar technology to scour around three miles of the canal, but their search did not indicate a body was in the water.
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On the night Peter went missing, police said there were "extremely low temperatures" and that a change in seasons can 'impact how the water behaves'.
His wife of 21 years, Michelle, 56, a housekeeper for the NHS, has spent weeks desperately looking for her husband - even joining 200 volunteers along a search of the canal.
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