Body found in hunt for missing girl, 17, with man arrested for ‘murder’

Catherine, 17, was reported missing on Saturday (Picture: Greater Manchester Police)

A body has been found in the search for a missing teenager in Greater Manchester.

Catherine, 17, was last seen on Queens Road in Ashton-under-Lyne, a town six miles east of Manchester, at around 2.20am on Saturday.

Searches led to a property on Whalley Close – about one mile away from her last sighting – at around 9am yesterday.

Police said that a girl, 17, was found at the scene. She was given CPR but was declared dead that day.

Her cause of death remains unclear, as detectives are ‘keeping an open mind’.

Sign up for all of the latest stories

Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.

The teen is believed to be Catherine, though she has not been formally identified. Her next of kin have been informed.

United Kingdom, Ashton Under Lyne 22 September 2025: A police officer stands guard outside a block of flats on Whalley Close in Ashton-Under-Lyne, Greater Manchester after the body of a missing 17 year old girl was found in the early hours of this morning. A 55 year old man has been arrested for her murder and remains in custody. Credit: Ryan Jenkinson / Story Picture Agency
A murder investigation has been launched (Picture: ASP)
Formal identification has not yet taken place but we believe it is 17-year-old Catherine, who was reported missing on Saturday. Her next of kin has been informed and officers are supporting them. - A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody. - At this time her cause of death remains unclear and detectives are keeping an open mind. An investigation has been launched following the death of a 17-year-old girl in Ashton-under-Lyne who was reported as a missing person. Police enquiries led to an address on Whalley Close at around 9am on Sunday 21 September. Despite the best efforts of emergency service workers, the girl sadly died at the scene. Formal identification has not yet taken place but we believe it is 17-year-old Catherine, who was reported missing on Saturday. Her next of kin has been informed and officers are supporting them. A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody. At this time her cause of death remains unclear and detectives are keeping an open mind. Detective Chief Inspector Anna Barker said: ???Firstly, our thoughts are with the family and friends of the young person who has tragically lost their life, who we sadly believe was missing Catherine. ???Although we have a man in custody, our investigation team is keeping an open mind and are following several lines of enquiry. ???A scene will remain in place while officers conduct their investigation. If you have any concerns, please speak to an officer who will listen to you. ???We are trying to get all the answers we can for the family of this young person who is at the forefront of the investigation team???s mind. ???We are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area of Whalley Close on the Saturday and early hours of Sunday morning to come forward and assist us in our enquiries. ???Every piece of information, no matter how small it might seem, helps us build a clearer picture in this investigation. Anyone who has any information, CCTV, mobile phone or Ring doorbell footage is urged to contact police on 0161 856 9307 quoting the log number 802 of 21/09/2025 or online via gmp.police.uk. ???Information can also be shared with us anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.???
Caption: Formal identification has not yet taken place(Picture: ASP)

A man, 55, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Anna Barker said: ‘Firstly, our thoughts are with the family and friends of the young person who has tragically lost their life, who we sadly believe was missing Catherine.

‘Although we have a man in custody, our investigation team is keeping an open mind and are following several lines of enquiry.’

Barker said that a cordon will remain in place around Whalley Close, a small road that leads to a flat complex.

He added: ‘We are trying to get all the answers we can for the family of this young person, who is at the forefront of the investigation team’s mind.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.