POLICE are appealing for information after a 53-year-old man was found dead in the Leeds Liverpool canal in Blackburn on Saturday afternoon.

The body of Gary Forkasiewicz was discovered by a member of the public around 2.30pm floating in the canal on Livesey Branch Road in Feniscowles.

His death is being treated as unexplained but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.

However, officers are keen to trace his last movements.

Detective Sergeant Adrian McHugh from Blackburn CID said: “We are appealing for anybody that may have seen Gary or any suspicious activity on or near to the Leeds Liverpool canal in the area of the canal bridge on Livesey Branch Road between 4pm Friday or until his body was recovered at 2.30pm on Saturday.

“We know Gary was working until Friday afternoon but we need to establish where he spent Friday night and how he came to be in the canal.”

Gary is described as white, 5ft 9 inches tall and was wearing casual clothing and glasses.

A post-mortem examination is due to take place to establish a cause of death.