Man’s Body Found During Search in Kershope Forest
Police searching for a missing man have found a body in Kershope Forest, north of Carlisle.
Cumbria Police said the discovery was made shortly before 5.15pm on Tuesday, May 12th. The body was found during a search linked to missing 21-year-old Mathew Gorton, from Penton.
His family has been informed.
Police have said the death is currently being treated as unexplained. However, it is not believed to be suspicious at this stage.
Body found in north Cumbrian forest
Emergency services had been searching for Mathew before the discovery was made in Kershope Forest.
The forest is located in north Cumbria, close to the Scottish border and north of Carlisle. It is a large rural area, with woodland, tracks and remote sections of land.
Police confirmed that a man’s body had been found in the forest on Tuesday evening. At this stage, no further details about the circumstances have been released.
The force has said the death remains unexplained while enquiries continue. This means officers are still working to understand what happened. However, police have also made clear that they do not currently believe there are suspicious circumstances.
Family informed by police
The family of Mathew Gorton, who had been reported missing, has been told about the discovery.
In cases like this, police usually need time to complete formal identification and prepare reports for the coroner. The coroner may then decide whether further enquiries are needed to establish the cause of death.
No further information has been released about the search or the exact location where the body was found.
Police enquiries continuing
Cumbria Police have not reported any arrests in connection with the discovery.
The force’s current position is that the death is unexplained but not believed to be suspicious. This is an important distinction. It means officers are not treating the case as a suspected crime based on the information known so far, but the full circumstances still need to be confirmed.
More details may be released once the formal process has moved forward and the family has been updated.
Community concern after discovery
News of a body being found during a missing person search is likely to cause concern in the local area, particularly in communities around Penton, north Carlisle and the wider border area.
Police have not asked the public to avoid Kershope Forest or issued any wider warning linked to the incident.
Anyone with direct information about the missing person search or the circumstances surrounding the discovery should contact Cumbria Police.
