Gaynor Lord news: Body found in search for missing Norwich mother – latest

The body found in the Wensum River has not been formally identified with police treating the death as a missing-person enquiry.

Gaynor’s family are being supported by specialist officers.

A family friend told The Times: “Gaynor’s husband Clive is totally lost.

“He doesn’t understand at all what’s happened.”

Her daughter Alexandra, 22, had been desperately appealing on Facebook for help finding her mum.

She said earlier in the week: “If anyone knows anything, please do contact the police.

Gaynor’s other daughter Charlotte, 24, also shared police appeals several times on social media. Her latest tragic update is confirming a body was found.

Chief Superintendent Dave Buckley, Norfolk’s County Policing Commander, said: “We’ve been able to trace Gaynor’s movements through CCTV in the city and at this stage, we’re satisfied there is no evidence that Gaynor met anybody on the way to the park.

“While this is not the outcome we wished for, our search has always predominantly focused on the river and the park.

“A post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish the cause of death, however I would reiterate that at this stage there is no evidence of third-party involvement. Nothing in our enquiries so far has changed this position.”

2.44pm – Gaynor is working at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement at Jarrold department store – her clothing is clearly visible

2.45-2.46pm – She leaves the store via the loading bay on Bedford Street

2.47pm – Walks onto London Street past the Cosy Club

2.48pm – Gaynor makes her way onto Queens Street and walks toward the Cathedral

3.22pm – Gaynor is seen on The Close at the cathedral entrance – shortly before exiting through the archway she puts her coat on

3.23pm – She is seen to walk away from the cathedral on Queens Street – here you can see a clear image of the coat she was wearing

3.49pm – This is the last sighting of Gaynor on CCTV near the Playhouse on St George’s Street

3.53pm – Walks along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street

4.01pm – Gaynor walks up St Augustines Street – her final movements captured in CCTV before going missing

Floral tributes to Gaynor Lord have started to be laid near the gates of Wensum Park in Norwich, with three bunches left by 3pm on Friday.

One of them said: “Gaynor may you be at peace. God bless your family.”

Specialist divers pulled a body from a river on Friday morning following a week-long search for missing mother-of-three Gaynor Lord.

Read the full report by Athena Stavrou

Ms Lord was at work in Jarrolds department store in Bedford Street, Norwich.

Her shift on Friday was due to end at 4pm but instead she left more than an hour early at 2.45pm. So far, Police have been unable to explain why, and have been informed by friends and family her behaviour was out of character.

Chief Superintendant Dave Buckley gave a media briefing yesterday, he said: “We can’t explain some of her behaviour that day. We’re working really closely with family, with friends, with anybody else who might have had contact with her in the recent days or weeks to try and understand why this might have happened.

“People are very shocked by what’s happened. Nobody knows why she’s done what she’s done.”

Leaving work was early was unusual for Ms Lord, friends and family have told the police. The force added they “can’t explain” some of the missing woman’s behaviour in the CCTV footage.

One witness saw the 55-year-old ‘practicing yoga’ in the park around the time she went missing.

Rosie Richards said she saw a woman fitting the Ms Lord’s description in the park last Friday.

“She was sort of putting her coat down on the floor and sort of performing a yoga pose. It just seemed a bit off at this time because obviously it was starting to get dark,” Ms Richards added.

Detectives searching for Ms Lord say they have not been able to establish Ms Lord’s state of mind when she went missing with “any degree of confidence”.

Her friend Julie Butcher said she seemed “fine” when they last met on Tuesday last week.

“We were talking. She was a bit busy but we were talking about Christmas and she seemed fine, no different to the usual Gaynor. She was quite upbeat and happy,” Ms Butcher told the BBC.