Body of missing 15-year-old found in Hampshire lake search

By Saturday, a body had been found after a 15-year-old boy was reported missing when he was last seen swimming at Testwood Lakes near Totton, Hampshire, at 1.35pm on Wednesday, 24 June 2026.

Hampshire Constabulary launched a large search operation that brought together marine units, the National Police Air Service, South Central Ambulance Service, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, and Hampshire Search and Rescue volunteers. Testwood Lakes nature reserve, off Brunel Road and near Totton and Calmore, was evacuated and closed to the public as emergency crews worked through the afternoon and into the days that followed.

The boy’s family have been informed, formal identification has taken place, and a file will now be prepared for the coroner.

Testwood Lakes was “extremely concerned” about the serious incident and urged people to avoid the area while the emergency operation continued. The reserve sits close to residential areas on the edge of Southampton, where open water draws swimmers, walkers and families during warm weather.

The Met Office issued a Red Extreme Heat Warning and later recorded a provisional UK June temperature record of 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire, on 24 June.