A body has been found in the search for a missing mother-of-three in Cheshire, police have said.
Rachel Booth, 38, was reported missing on Saturday, July 19, after she was last seen by her family in the village of Barnton near Northwich, Cheshire.
She was last seen in exercise gear, walking near the Sandiway garage on the A556 west of Northwich, at 3.50am on Saturday. Staff had claimed that she bought wine and milk.
Booth was described as a mother to “three gorgeous boys“
PA
Cheshire police said: “Following extensive appeals and searches in the area, officers have now sadly recovered a body in a lake in Oakmere.
“Whilst formal identification is yet to take place, it is believed to be that of Rachel. Her family have been made aware and are being supported by specialist officers. They have requested privacy at this time.”
Police said there were not believed to be any suspicious circumstances and a report would be prepared for the coroner.
Officers had been searching Delamere Lake Sailing and Holiday Park and the Wild Shore Delamere water sports centre, Cheshire, on Monday, while underwater teams have also been deployed to the sailing lake.
Isaac Carolan, 19, who works at the Sandiway garage, told The Sun: “I spoke to my colleague who had served her on Saturday morning. She bought milk and wine and jogged from 45 minutes away.
“But it didn’t seem weird, she didn’t seem disturbed or flustered.”
Another shopkeeper said she was “a lovely clever lady”. They said she was “very active and very nice”, adding: “We all like her.”
The water park was shut down temporarily due to an “ongoing police investigations in the surrounding area”, but the statement insisted the incident was “unrelated” to the venue.
Police in Delamere search for Booth
PETER POWELL
Booth was described in one appeal as a mother with “three gorgeous boys” and a “loving husband”. Her children are aged between six and 13.
Neighbours said that they were shocked by the recovery of a body.
One resident, who declined to be named, said: “Rachel was a lovely lady and a great mum to those three lads. My heart breaks for this family in what should have been a great summer school holiday for them. We will do what we can for them. It’s a tight community.”
Another said: “Every day is so upsetting for the family. It is just so sad. We all hoped there would be a better outcome.”
After Booth’s birthday last month, her husband, Carl, praised his wife on social media. “Happy birthday to the best wife and even better mum. You’re the glue that holds our family together. We would be lost without you. We all love you so so much.”
Before the body was found, Raj Kaur, 30, a local shopkeeper, told The Sun newspaper: “We have all been praying for her. She is in everyone’s thoughts here and we all wanted her to be found safe and well. It’s so very, very sad. She had three children — it’s such a sad time now”.