Where was Luke Howe last seen alive? Teen's body recovered from River Bollin in Hale 

Luke Howe, a 14-year-old with learning disabilities, was found by the police after going missing overnight. His body was found during a search of the River Bollin in Hale and the River Mersey in south Manchester. He was last seen Thursday evening on Bankhall Lane in Hale, Trafford.

Luke Howe disappeared from his grandparents' residence in Hale, Trafford, shortly before 6:15 pm on Thursday, January 18. His family expressed concern, noting his lack of awareness of danger due to global developmental delays and autism. They were deeply distressed after he disappeared from Bankhall Lane, where he was last seen.

Emergency services initiated an extensive search operation, deploying drones and sniffer dogs. According to the Daily Mail, the Police worked tirelessly through the night and into Friday morning. But, on January 19, Greater Manchester Police sadly confirmed the discovery of a body in the River Bollin, positively identified as Luke Howe.

---

Luke Howe's tragic death: Tributes pour in

Luke Howe lived with his grandparents at Hale in Trafford and had severe learning disabilities. He left the house on Thursday 18 evening and never returned. The Manchester Evening News reported that Luke Howe was last sighted on Bankhall Lane. Specialized crews diligently searched from Thursday evening through Friday morning.

The search crew primarily focussed on the River Bollin in Hale and the River Mersey in neighboring south Manchester. Drones, sniffer dogs, and specialized response units were deployed in the search efforts. Regrettably, the police concluded the extensive operation upon the tragic discovery of a body in the River Bollin, later confirmed to be Luke Howe, as reported by the BBC.

As per the Daily Mail, the authorities have stated that there are no suspected suspicious circumstances surrounding Luke Howe's death.

A profound wave of grief has swept through the community in response to the devastating news of the discovery of the 14-year-old's body after an extensive search. People shared their condolences toward Luke Howe's family and appreciated the Police force for taking prompt action in search of the little boy. After the heartbreaking development, Luke's aunt, Jessica Howe, shared on Facebook,

"We are so incredibly grateful for all your help and support - words are not enough. We are devastated to advise the body of our Luke has been recovered. We have nothing else to say for now except please can you respect the family's privacy at this dreadful time xxx."

Many children sent their prayers to Luke Howe. Amelia Pawlak said,

"Sending all my love to Luke's family and friends. Absolutely heart wrenching outcome."

Paige Nicole said,

"I'm absolutely heartbroken for you and your family. So sorry to hear this news r.i.p luke you beautiful boy."

In a conversation with Manchester Evening News, his aunt had previously expressed that Luke's family was overwhelmed, desperately wanting him to return home safely, with his parents being inconsolable. Luke had a history of running away from home, heading towards roads, and had been rescued by emergency services on previous occasions.

Earlier statements from the police indicated that Luke had learning difficulties. His aunt, Jessica, shared with the Manchester Evening News details about her nephew's developmental delay and autism diagnosis, emphasizing that he had "no concept of danger."

Detective Inspector Rick Lees from Greater Manchester Police's Trafford Division said,

"Our condolences are with Luke's loved ones, his friends and family in what is a truly awful time. This is a tragic case of a young teenager who has sadly died in terrible circumstances and our thoughts remain with Luke’s family."

He added,

"Luke's family are being supported by specially-trained officers and ask for their privacy to be respected while they grieve their loss."

Luke's family has commended the efforts of the public and the emergency services personnel involved in the search. They said to Manchester Evening News,

"I would also like to thank the members of the public who helped with the search or shared our appeal. Your help in responding to this incident is hugely appreciated."

Police requested the families to take care of their children to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.