Police investigate body found in French Weir Park in Taunton

Avon and Somerset Police have said 'there is no evidence of there being any wider risk to the public' and high visibility patrols will continue in the area as the investigation continues.

Efforts to trace the man’s next of kin are progressing and updating them of what has happened is being treated as a priority.

Enquiries at the park were concluded yesterday and it has now fully reopened.

Officers were dispatched to French Weir Park at about 8.30am on Wednesday, July 17, where the body of a man was found in water and recovered.

Police and forensics vehicles were parked in the nearby Tesco car park on Wednesday afternoon. (Image: Newsquest)

Acting chief inspector Rebecca Wells-Cole said: “It is important we establish the facts of what happened, both for the man’s family and to reassure the wider public. At this stage we are treating this man’s death as unexplained.

“A proactive decision was taken to make three arrests at an early stage of this investigation in case there may have been any criminality involved.

“This has enabled us to interview them under caution, with them having access to legal representation, and has furthered our understanding into what happened. We have also studied CCTV footage and spoken to potential witnesses, after which a decision was made to release those three men under investigation yesterday evening.

“We understand investigations of this nature can cause concern among the local community and we’d like to reassure the public there is no evidence of there being any wider risk to the public.

“But we are carrying out high-visibility patrols in the area for reassurance and would urge anyone with concerns to please contact us.”

Anyone with information who has not yet made themselves known to the police, call 101 and quote reference number 5224185832.