People have reacted with shock after a man’s body was found in the River Lea.

Essex Police were called at about midday yesterday (October 7) after reports of the body being found in the river near Highbridge Street in Waltham Abbey.

Large numbers of officers visited the scene, closing off a towpath to members of the public until at least 6pm.

A white tent was seen erected near the end of the path, on a thin piece of land separating the waterway.

An unnamed woman who lives nearby said she saw about 10 police cars.

She said: “It is very sad, we have lived here for about thirteen-and-a-half years and we have never heard anything like it.

“As I came back from the gym at 12.15pm, the roads were absolutely filled with police cars.

“I was walking down and I saw about 10 of them.”

In 2010, the body of David Crook, 66, was found in the river after he went missing.

His body was found by the Essex Police marine unit, four days after he was seen in Highbridge Street on May 31.