Appeal launched as detectives try to identify man found dead in Rochdale Canal at weekend

Wednesday, 7 May 2025 18:20

By David Murphy

Police are appealing for help to identify a man whose body was pulled from Rochdale Canal near Oldham Road on Sunday afternoon.

Emergency services were called around 4pm on 4 May following reports of a body in the water. The man was sadly confirmed dead at the scene. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say his death is not being treated as suspicious, but despite their efforts, officers have so far been unable to identify him.

He is described as an Asian man in his mid to late twenties, with black hair, a receding hairline, and a black beard. He had no distinguishing tattoos or belongings that could help confirm his identity.

In a bid to trace his relatives, GMP has released an image of a ring that the man was wearing on his left wedding ring finger. Officers hope that someone may recognise the ring or might be looking for a loved one who matches the description.

Detective Inspector Katie Buntine from GMP’s Rochdale district CID said: “Our work remains ongoing to identify him and we hope that the description we have released of him and also the image of his ring may spark someone’s memory, whether you know who he was or know of his last movements.

“We are all working hard to reunite this man with his family so they can place him to rest, so if you have any information at all, please do get in touch with us. Even if you think it is something insignificant, a small piece of information could help our investigation.”

Anyone with details is urged to contact detectives on 0161 856 1707, quoting log number 2033 of 04/05/2025. Information can also be passed to police by calling 101, visiting the GMP website, or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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