POLICE dredged a south Essex lake after reports of a body in the water... but found a mannequin instead.

Officers searched the lake and put up a cordon at the former Pegasus Country Club in Herd Lane, Corringham, after workers thought they had seen a dead body in the lake.

After searching the area officers confirmed it was just a mannequin in the water.

The former sports and social club was bought last month for redevelopment by Essex business man Alfie Best, 52.

He told BBC Essex: “I was actually in Northumberland at the time and I received a call but I was actually flying in a helicopter so when the call came through, it was more of a shock than it would have been if I had been standing on the ground.

“Then I had a picture sent through to me which I can absolutely say to you it really did look like a dead body.

“The team and staff that were on site and called the police.

“When the police got there, they and then fished it out and they cordoned it off as if they thought it was a dead body.

“They then found out it was a mannequin.”

He admitted what he first thought “was a really serious situation” turned out to put a smile on everyone’s face.

He added: “We might have it cast and have a plaque put up at the club because it is a great story.”

Community leaders said they were pleased the situation was not as serious as first thought.

Andrew Jefferies, Thurrock councillor for environment and air quality, said: “I welcome the fact that it was not serious and someone had not been hurt and fallen into the water.

“If they thought it was a body, they were right to call the police and the officers did the right thing and responded in the right way.

“It could have been a body, but I am very glad it wasn’t.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “We were called to Herd Lane, in Stanford-le-Hope, shortly before 5pm on Monday following concerns around what looked like a body in the river.

“Following attendance, this was confirmed to be a mannequin which was removed from the river.”