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Body of 88-year-old man found in canal weeks after his disappearance
He had recently been widowed.
A family have been left devastated after the body of an 88-year-old man was recovered from a canal.
Ronald Roose – known by his loved ones as Ron – vanished from his home in East Didsbury on November 27th last year.
Police believe he left his home through his back garden and that he was heading in the direction of the River Mersey.
The son of the pensioner paid tribute to his dad calling him a ‘lovely’ and ‘brilliant’ father.
A huge search operation was launched and almost six weeks later, at around 1.30pm on January 7th, his body was pulled from the Manchester Ship Canal, near Cadishead.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that it was the body of Mr Roose after a formal identification had taken place.
Detective Superintendent Neil Jones said: “Our condolences are with Mr Roose’s family and we would also like to thank the members of the public who helped with the search or shared our appeal.”
Mr Roose’s family has thanked Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and the underwater search team for all their efforts, saying: “They’d both do everything for everybody.
“There was a lady that lived in the next road, mum would do her shopping because she was blind. Even when she had cancer she would be doing stuff for other people.”
As neither Ron nor Gwen wanted an extravagant funeral or any ‘fuss’, Paul has set up a fundraiser bench in their memory.
He wants to raise £2,500 for a bench that can be placed in Fletcher Moss park in Didsbury or by the River Mersey.
Paul hopes that family and friends will be able to visit to remember the pair, as he said: “If everyone chips a little bit in it’s everyone’s bench.”
You can donate HERE.