- Ms Wilde was reported missing on January 5 after leaving her home in Thetford
A body has been found amid a search for a missing 65-year-old woman who went missing in Norfolk over a week ago, police have confirmed.
Kim Wilde disappeared from her home in Thetford, Norfolk around 4.20pm on January 5, prompting a wide search of the area.
Police announced they had found a body in the Little Ouse River, just south of Thetford Power Station, at 10:30am today.
While the body was not immediately identified as Ms Wilde, police said her family had been informed.
Emergency services attended the scene including police, fire, and ambulance.
‘Inquiries are ongoing but the death is not believed to be suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner,’ a statement read.
In their initial appeal, Norfolk Police said Ms Wilde had last been seen leaving her home in Kimms Belt in the afternoon on Friday, January 5.
They said officers were ‘increasingly concerned’ for her welfare.
‘She is described as 5ft 3 tall, white, of proportionate build, with dark brown short hair and was possibly wearing a grey jacket with hood, dark grey leggings and carrying a white handbag when she left,’ a statement read.
‘Kim walks very slowly and can appear frail. Police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen Kim.’
The news marks the latest tragic discovery of a missing person in a British river, following a number of high-profile searches in 2023.
On December 21, Police Scotland confirmed they had found a body in the River Tay near Perth after a search for missing Clare Marshall, 64.
‘Officers believe the woman to be Clare Marshall, who was reported missing from Perth on Monday, 18 December, 2023. Officers have informed her family.
‘There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.’
It came just days after a search for Gaynor Lord, 55, ended in tragedy with the discovery of a body in Norwich.
The mother-of-three vanished on December 8, leading to a search of the area after her clothes and personal items were found in a local park.
Her body was found several hundred feet from where she is believed to have entered the River Wensum.
After locating her body, Chief superintendent Dave Buckley 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.’
A police spokesman also said: ‘A Home Office post-mortem examination carried out on Saturday found no indications of any third-party involvement and the death is not being treated as suspicious.
Norfolk Police had sought advice from Lancashire Police, which handled the investigation into Nicola Bulley’s disappearance after she went missing earlier this year.
Ms Bulley’s body was found in the River Wyre nearly three weeks after she disappeared.
A coroner concluded that she had fallen in to the water and drowned accidentally.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
