Body believed to be missing Yorkshire man Graham Connell recovered from River Aire after underwater search

Mr Connell, 64, from Morley, disappeared after taking the family dog out for a run just under a month ago. Days after he went missing, his dog was found dead in the river.

Now, West Yorkshire Police has confirmed that underwater search officers found a body at about 12pm in part of the river near to the junction of Aberford Road and Bullerthorpe Lane, Woodlesford.

While formal identification has yet to be completed, it is believed to be Mr Connell. His family has been informed and officers are continuing to support them.

There are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances and the Coroner’s Office has been informed.

The tragedy comes almost a month after Mr Connell was first reported missing. He left his home on December 18 for one of his regular runs with Goldendoodle Maddy near to Woodlesford Lock, but was not seen since. The alarm was raised when the 64-year-old failed to return home that evening.

Since then, an intense search for Mr Connell has been underway, with police combing canal banks in the area. During the investigation, a detective said it was “out of character for Graham to go missing”.

It is understood that he would regularly go for runs along Woodlesford Lock on a route that took in the motorway bridge and the canal, before he came back along the opposite bank towards St Aiden’s nature reserve. Soon after he went missing, his car was found parked in Bullough Lane near to the entrance at Woodlesford Lock.