The daughter of Gaynor Lord, a missing mother-of-three from Norwich, has shared a devastating update on social media after police confirmed a body was found in the River Wensum.
Charlotte Lord posted the statement from Norfolk Constabulary on Facebook on Friday evening (December 15), which said: "Police searching for missing Norwich woman Gaynor Lord can confirm a body has been found in the River Wensum. While the body hasn't formally been identified, Gaynor’s family have been informed. They continue to be supported by specially trained officers."
Gaynor Lord, 55, vanished after leaving her job at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement at Jarrold department store in Norwich city centre at 2.45pm on Friday, December 8. Her belongings, including her clothing, mobile phone, glasses and jewellery, were found scattered in Wensum Park, about 1.5 miles from her workplace. Her coat was also discovered in the river that runs through the park.
Police search teams on the River Wensum in Wensum Park, Norwich (Image: PA)
Police launched a massive search operation for the missing woman, involving divers, drones, dogs and helicopters. After a week of searching, they recovered a body from the river on Friday afternoon. Two members of the dive team were seen retrieving the body from the water after marking the area with an orange buoy.
Chief Superintendent Dave Buckley, who led the investigation, said that the case remained a missing person inquiry and that there was no evidence of foul play. He said: "We remain open-minded to the circumstances of Gaynor's disappearance and we'll continue to pursue all lines of inquiry to ascertain why she went missing. I'm keen to say this remains a missing person inquiry at this stage."
He added: "I am also satisfied at the moment, based on the evidence that we have, that Gaynor did not meet anyone on the way to the park, and we now have a better understanding of her movements through the city centre. I would reiterate at this stage that there is no evidence of third party involvement. Nothing in our inquiries have changed this position."
Missing mother-of-three Gaynor Lord leaving work at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement at Jarrold department store in Norwich, Norfolk (Image: PA)
Charlotte Lord's Facebook post was met with an outpouring of sympathy and support from friends and strangers alike. Many expressed their condolences and offered their prayers for the family. One person wrote: "So very sorry for your loss x." Another said: "So sorry to hear this Charlotte! Sending love and thoughts to you and your family." A third commented: "Haven't stopped thinking of you Charlotte & your family during this long hard week. Sending you a huge lot of love."
Floral tributes were also left near the gates of Wensum Park, where Gaynor's belongings were found. One of them read: "Gaynor may you be at peace. God bless your family."
A family friend told The Times that Gaynor's husband Clive and their three children were "distraught" by her disappearance and did not understand what had happened. They said: "Clive is understandably totally lost, and doesn't understand at all what's happened."
Julie Muddel, who worked with Gaynor at Jarrolds, described her as a "lovely, bubbly lady" who was "always smiling". She said: "She was a very popular member of staff and we are all devastated by what has happened. We are thinking of her family at this very difficult time."
