This is not the outcome anyone wanted.
Lancashire Police have confirmed a tragic update in the search for missing Appley Bridge student Tom Dingle.
Police say a body found on Christmas Day in woodland in nearby Dalton is believed to be that of the 19-year-old. Formal identification has not yet taken place.
Tom’s family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. Police have confirmed that Tom’s death is not being treated as suspicious and that a file will be passed to HM Coroner in due course.
Tom, from Appley Bridge, Wigan, was reported missing on Saturday 13th December. He was last seen in the early hours of that morning.
A large-scale search was launched by Lancashire Police, supported by specialist search teams with officers carrying out extensive enquiries and appealing publicly for information as the search continued.
In a statement issued this morning (26 December), Lancashire Police said:
“We have a tragic update to give you in our search for missing student Tom Dingle.
“At 3.12pm on Christmas Day we were contacted by a member of the public who had found a man deceased in woodland off Lees Lane in Dalton. Although no formal identification has taken place, we believe it to be the body of 19-year-old Tom.
“Tom’s family have been informed, and they continue to be supported by specially trained officers. Our thoughts are very much with them at this extremely distressing time. We would ask that their privacy is respected as they come to terms with this devastating news.
“Tom’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed to HM Coroner in due course.
“This is not the outcome anybody wanted. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank everybody who shared our appeals for information.”
This news is just devastating. My heart absolutely breaks for his mum, dad and brother, who had even left a note on the front door after Tom went missing, telling him he could ‘walk straight in’ if he saw it.
Absolutely devastating. Thoughts and prayers with all of Tom’s family and friends.
Now is the time to give them space to grieve in private and come to terms with losing him.
RIP Tom.
