25/06/2009

Man's Body Found During Police Training Exercise

The body of a man has been discovered by police during a major training exercise in a reservoir near Sheffield.

Brian Arnold, 61, from Athersley, Barnsley, was found in Winscar Reservoir, near Penistone, by police and emergency services who were preparing to start a major training exercise.

Underwater search teams from six police forces had been practicing techniques following a mock mid-air collision. The exercise was concentrating on how the teams would recover bodies and debris from such a crash.

The groundbreaking operation - 'Exercise Oxidation' - is to take place today and tomorrow, and is to be attended by experts from across the north of England.

Police are not treating the death of the 61-year-old as suspicious, and a post mortem examination is due to take place tomorrow.

A police spokesman, speaking to BBC News, said: "The underwater search teams were actually in Winscar reservoir preparing for today's exercise.

"Unfortunately while they were in the water a body did actually come to the surface.

"They stopped immediately and took it to the water's edge."

(JM/BMcC)

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