UEA: Police Release Description of Woman Found In Lake

Detectives are hoping information from the public can help solve the mystery surrounding the identity of a woman’s body discovered in a university lake in Norwich.

Officers have revealed the woman, believed to be aged in her late 30s to early 40s, had short dark brown hair with a natural wave, which shows signs of being dyed auburn/deep red.

The woman is 5ft 7 and of slim build. The woman’s body, which was clothed in day wear, was found floating face down in the water by an angler at the University of East Anglia (UEA) Broad at about 8.40am yesterday.

A Home Office post mortem carried out at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital proved inconclusive and toxicology tests will now be carried out to help establish the cause of death.

 Enquiries continue to establish the circumstances surrounding the discovery, including the examination of local CCTV cameras, including footage from a camera positioned near to the lake. Detective Chief Inspector Dennis Lacey, who is leading the enquiry, urged anyone with information concerning the woman’s identity to come forward.

He said: “Efforts to identify the woman have so far been unsuccessful. We’ve carried out forensic enquiries and these have failed to reveal the woman’s identity.

“A preliminary search of the lake area was carried out yesterday and nothing, including personal belongings, was recovered which could assist with the case.

“We hope that by releasing details of the woman’s description someone will come forward with information. I would also ask anyone who is concerned about a friend or relative who may not have been seen or heard from recently who matches this description to get in touch with police.”

The death continues to be treated as unexplained and the police cordon was lifted at 12.30pm today. Police have confirmed the incident is not linked to any known missing people cases in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and enquiries are now being made nationally with the missing person database.

UEA officials have also carried out checks as far as they are able to and have accounted for staff, students and visitors on summer schools and conferences. Officials are also not aware of anyone reported missing. Anyone with information should contact Norwich CID on 101.