Body found in Whitlingham Broad believed to be missing woman

Emergency services at Whitlingham Little Broad, where a body was discovered around 11.30 this morning. Photo: Bill Smith (Image: Archant © 2014)

An appeal to help find the missing 47-year-old was renewed last week, after police grew increasingly concerned for her welfare.

Emergency services at Whitlingham Little Broad, where a body was discovered around 11.30 this morning. Photo: Bill Smith (Image: Archant © 2014)

She went missing on March 18 and was last seen in the Lobelia Lane area of Cringleford.

Norfolk Police received a call about the body at about 11.30am yesterday and officers attended the incident with assistance from fire crews, paramedics and a dive team.

A car park, road and path to the broad were all cordoned off while an investigation took place and a dive team from Norfolk Fire Service carried out a search of the water.

It was just after 3.30pm that police said they believed the body was Lisa and they were not treating the death as suspicious.

A spokesman said: 'Formal identification is yet to take place but the woman is believed to be missing person Lisa Pollini, who was last seen in Cringleford on Tuesday 18 March. A file will be prepared for HM Coroner and an inquest will open shortly.'

One man, who was at work in Trowse when the emergency services were called to the scene, said: 'We saw five or six police cars go past, then there was a fire engine and then an ambulance.

'When I came down to the broad for my lunch break, I saw more unmarked cars. I thought there must have been a death.'

Another onlooker said: 'There were police cars everywhere. People were trying to walk down to the Little Broad but they were being turned back.'

The car park at Whitlingham, which had been cordoned off, was reopened just after 1pm.