Body discovered in south London well

Saturday, November 16, 2013
9:47 AM

 

A dead body has been found in a well in south London, and police have launched a murder investigation.

Officers were called to the scene, in the front garden of a private house, yesterday afternoon.

A senior detective said today that the body remained in the well of the house in Audley Drive, Warlingham, on the border between Surrey and the London Borough of Croydon, and the recovery operation might take some time.

“It is a murder investigation,” said Det Ch Insp Cliff Lyons.

“As far as I am concerned, when a body is found in a well, it either fell in there, or was placed in there, and the evidence is apparent that the body was placed in there.”

The gardeners found the body shortly before 2pm yesterday as they were doing clearing work at the large house, which stands in an acre of grounds in an affluent area.

Mr Lyons said: “The body presents a number of logistical challenges. The well is two feet in diameter, it is seven feet deep to the water line, and the water is approximately four feet deep.

“We need a police marine diving team, with breathing apparatus, and we need to recover the body intact to preserve forensic evidence. The process of recovery is likely to take some time.”

He declined to speculate on how long this might be, but said it was not going to be a quick recovery.

“It is not possible to ascertain with accuracy the gender of the body but, judging by the size, it is most likely to be an adult, not a child. The person is white.”

He appealed for anyone who had concerns about a person who has gone missing, especially if they had connections to that area, to come forward.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 020 8721 4961 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111