False alarm as 'body' in Thames turns out to be a doll

A doll was recovered from the River Thames near Hampton Court Palace on Tuesday lunchtime. Police from the Metropolitan and Surrey forces, fire and ambulance crews all attended the scene near Hampton Court Station in East Molesey after members of the public reported seeing a body in the water. Firefighters from Walton were also called with their boat.



Officers spent some time on the bank of the river facing Hampton Court Palace holding up a green sheet. One member of the public described what he saw. The man said: "Three firemen went down with rubber gear. One was carrying a white bag - I thought body bags were black."

Another onlooker said: "There are a lot of emergency services there so this must be something serious. I have heard it was a body." A police spokeswoman said: "Officers in Elmbridge were called to Hampton Court Way, East Molesey just before 12.30pm on Tuesday, 17 May after reports a body had been found in the river.



"On arriving at the scene an object was located and removed from the river by officers and taken to a local police station for analysis. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident and the object was confirmed as being a large doll made of material and wood."