THE BODY of a pensioner who sparked a massive manhunt when he went missing last week has been found in a lake.Keith Wright, 71, was last seen by a neighbour on Monday as he left his home in Clairmont Close, Braintree.

By Juliette Maxam

THE BODY of a pensioner who sparked a massive manhunt when he went missing last week has been found in a lake.

Keith Wright, 71, was last seen by a neighbour on Monday as he left his home in Clairmont Close, Braintree.

A member of the public came across Mr Wright's body in Lyatts Lake, in the village of Stebbing Green, at 6am on Saturday.

Police dog teams, the helicopter crew and the Lowland search and rescue team had been scouring Stebbing and Stebbing Green last week, after Mr Wright was spotted in the village on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Search crews established he had spent Monday night at a fishing lake in Stebbing Green. They also found his shopping bag and cap in the area.

Mr Wright had been suffering from depression following the deaths of two friends. He had started to have panic attacks and had been prescribed sleeping tablets.

His wife, Pearl, and daughters Dawn Kyriascou and Audrey Bailey made an emotional appeal for the pensioner to return home on Tuesday.

Mrs Wright became worried when her husband failed to pick her up after a trip to the dentist with her granddaughter on Monday morning. She said he was a man always kept his word.

She made her own way home and when she still had not heard from her husband by 2.15pm, she was frantic and contacted police.

He had left home without his car, cash, bus pass or mobile phone.

Stebbing, about six miles from his home, was where Mr Wright's grandparents had lived.

Mr Wright, a retired Braintree District Council carpenter, had two daughters and four grandchildren.

He was described by his family as a quiet, shy man, who enjoyed gardening, DIY and his pet cats.