A MAN’S body has been found at Brownhill Reservoir in Holmfirth.
Emergency services spent several hours on Sunday morning carrying out the complex recovery of the body, which had come to rest at the head of Brownhill Reservoir, next to the dam wall of Ramsden Reservoir.
Initial rescue attempts were made on Saturday evening but due to weather conditions and the isolated location they were forced to postpone recovery until yesterday.
Police have been unable to release more details until formal identification takes place.
West Yorkshire Police have confirmed that they have informed the family of missing man Neil Bryson about the discovery.
Mr Bryson’s car was found abandoned at Yateholme Reservoir – which is about a mile and a half from Brownhill Reservoir where the body was found.
He was last seen at home on Wadman Road at 6.30am on November 27.
Police said specially trained officers are in touch with Mr Bryson’s family.
Water rescue teams from Brighouse and Cleckheaton fire stations were called out to help recover the body.
Watch manager Nigel Dodd, of Brighouse fire station, who was the cox of the water rescue boat, said: “We went back up to the scene on Sunday and recovered the man’s body from the water during the afternoon and handed the man’s body over to the medical examiner.
“There were complications due to the snow that had melted, it meant there was more water than usual, and it was coming down from the overflow which is where the body was found.”
At the time of Mr Bryson’s disappearance police carried out major search operations to find him, particularly in the area of Yateholme Reservoir.
They also mounted a full-scale hunt involving the force helicopter and later called in search and rescue volunteers with dogs to search wooded areas.
Expert divers also carried out an underwater search at Yateholme Reservoir two days after Mr Bryson’s disappearance.
Scottish-born Mr Bryson used to work at St Luke’s Hospital, Crosland Moor, where he specialised in mental health.
Kirklees police are also investigating the disappearance of two other people, they are Bernard Hallas and Alan Holt.
Mr Hallas, 84, was seen on December 18 on a bus in Huddersfield bus station wearing blue checked pyjamas and a sheepskin coat and a brown hat.
Mr Hallas, who suffers from a severe medical condition, is described as white, around 5ft 5ins tall and frail with wispy grey hair. Mr Holt, 40, of Dalton, was last seen at his home in September, though he was spotted at St Mary’s Church in Mirfield on October 8.
It is thought he may have been sleeping rough.
Anyone with information should contact police on 101.
