THE body of missing canal boat resident Robert Wood was found in the Kennet and Avon Canal on Friday, yards from where his narrowboat was moored at the top of Caen Hill lock flight in Devizes.

Police were alerted to Mr Wood's absence last Thursday night.

He had not been seen since 11pm the previous evening and when officers went to his boat, moored next to British Waterways' depot at Bath Road, they found the television still on, evidence of a meal having been eaten and two empty vodka bottles.

Police had been told that Mr Wood, 63, was depressed and had started drinking heavily. An underwater search team from Thames Valley Police was brought in on Friday and investigated the waters around the line of boats where Mr Wood's craft was moored.

Shortly before 2.30pm, after little more than an hour's searching, the frogmen found a body, later identified as that of Mr Wood, in the lock outside the tea rooms at the top of the lock flight.

Mr Wood, a retired RAF Vulcan bomber pilot, had been living on the narrowboat, owned by his brother Geoff, a retired chief superintendent in the Metropolitan Police, since he left his wife. It is understood that his relationship with the woman for whom he had left his wife had broken down.

The drowing is thought to be accidental and an inquest is likely to be held by the Wiltshire coroner.