A grieving mother today told of her shock after her son's body was pulled from the River Wharfe - five weeks after he went missing.

Jonathan Danskin, 28 - known as Jono - was last seen in the early hours of January 31 when he plunged into the river at Otley after fleeing police who had stopped his car

Officers saw him standing near the weir but then lost sight of him. The body of the self-employed Guiseley joiner was found on Saturday afternoon by a farmer at Wharfe Hill Farm, Kearby, near the Harewood estate, in the river at the bottom of his garden. His body was identified by jewellery.

His parents, Winifred and Allan Danskin, from Otley, had been praying for his safe return.

They said their son was a "brilliant" swimmer and had hoped he had safely pulled himself out of the river and was simply lying low, imagining he was in trouble with the police.

Officials from West Yorkshire Police's discipline and complaints division, as well as the Police Complaints Authority, are now investigating the death.

Sergeant George Mead, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "We were in charge of recovering the body, which was in our area, but West Yorkshire police are also conducting a parallel investigation.

"I don't know why Jonathan went into the water. It would be speculation, but I think he went in there to get away from police.

"We are treating the matter very seriously and have got the Police Complaints Authority involved because he was being pursued at the time."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "An internal inquiry by the discipline and complaints department is still ongoing."

Mrs Danskin today spoke of the family's shock. "It's terrible. I thought he was alive," she said. "He was a brilliant swimmer." Five weeks had passed with no news and relatives, including Mrs Danskin, husband Allan, and their daughters Jeanette and Julia, had hoped Jonathan was safe and well.

There were even unconfirmed "sightings" of him after his details were released on Yorkshire TV's Missing programme.

Senior officers at West Yorkshire police have been in touch with Mr Danskin's family. Mrs Danskin said: "The police have been very good."

After his disappareance, around 70 people from Otley answered a call for volunteers to join his family and girlfriend Lisa Dickson in the search - but nothing was found. The hunt was finally scaled down in mid February.

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