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A body was recovered from the River Nene close to Town Bridge in Peterborough on Thursday night (17 March).

Although police were not in a position to reveal whether the body was that of a man or a woman, the family of missing Peterborough teenager, Theo Kawala have been notified.

The grim discovery of the body by a member of the public, who dialled 999, was made close to Charters floating pub on the south side of the River Nene, took place just after 7.30pm.

A water recovery operation was sparked involving police, the fire service and the specialist Spartan Rescue team. The police helicopter also joined in from the air.

Police immediately cordoned off the scene and also stopped revellers leaving the nearby fair from crossing over the river at Rivergate bridge and the steps down to the pub from Town Bridge was also closed to pubgoers while the recovery took place.

A spokeswoman for the police confirmed that once the body had been recovered it would be transported to Peterborough City Hospital for formal identification and for a post mortem examination to be carried.

However, police have confirmed they were liaising with the family of city teenager Theo Kawala, who has been missing for four weeks.

The search for Theo has been high profile following his disappearance, which was described as "out of character".

He was last seen by his father after he dropped the teenager off in Peterborough city centre to enjoy a night with his pals on Friday, February 18, at around 7.30pm.

However he failed to return home after the night out, sparking concern.

Theo's disappearance prompted a massive response with a huge cohort of officers at Thorpe Wood Police Station and Cambridgeshire Search and Rescue, not to mention hundreds of Theo's families and friends, involved.

The search centred on the River Nene, with divers studying a stretch of water up to the Dog-in-a-Doublet pub, near Whittlesey, as well as tracing Theo's last known movements around Bridge Street.

CCTV footage obtained by police spotted Theo at midnight outside the old Woolworths building at around midnight on February 18.

It was initially thought that by the family, as Theo was a massive Peterborough United fan and a season ticket holder, he had stayed at a friend's house and gone straight to the home match against Tranmere the following day and the search began in earnest on the Sunday.

More than 250 of Theo's friends and family handed out flyers appealing for information on his whereabouts throughout the half-term holiday, and planned another appeal in the city centre this weekend.

Police are expected to make a formal identification of the body today.

Friday, 4.45pm: Police have this afternoon (Friday) confirmed that the body recovered from the River Nene last night is that of missing Peterborough boy 16-year-old Theo Kawala.

Theo had been missing for four weeks after disappearing on a night out in Peterborough City Centre

The family have been informed and are receiving support from the police at this time.

here is a close up picture of Theo Kawala