Emergency services at scene of serious police incident in the River Don

A group of local fishers have reported that they found a dead man’s body in the river earlier today.

Around three to four members of the Yorkshire Magneteers club – a group which fishes using high-powered magnets instead of bait in order to find forgotten objects – said they were alerted to a corpse in the water just before 10.30am this morning (Sunday, December 13) after a dog walker spotted something near the surface.

The group were fishing just behind C F Booth in the town centre, close to the Rotherham United football ground, when they then saw a dead man’s head facing down in the river.

Following the reported discovery of the body, the fishers called South Yorkshire Police and officers, divers, ambulances and fire engines quickly arrived at the scene.

The dead man who has not yet been identified.

Kerry Carter, 35, who set up Yorkshire Magneteers 18 months ago said: "This is one of the worst things that could happen and the only message we have got for his family is just that we hope he is at rest.

"We hope it brings closure and this is sort of why we do it, I personally want to avoid it because I don't want PTSD or anything like that.

"But it gives people closure and it gives the guy his respect back for his final send off."

The 35-year-old mother from Barnsley added: "When police arrived they just thanked them [the fishers] and we are just hoping we get an update on what's happened for a bit of closure.

"It was a shock to hear they found this today because we joke about it to be fair.

"We think it is the only thing we are not going to find, people say 'oh we'll find a body' and we knew it was coming eventually if we do this for a good 50 years.

"We just didn't expect it we would just joke about it but now it is like, wow this is actually real.”

The Star has contacted South Yorkshire Police for more information.

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