Inquest opened into death of woman whose body was found in lake

An inquest has been opened into the death of a woman whose body was recovered from a lake after a police search.

Rachel Booth, 38, from the Barnton area of Northwich, Cheshire, was reported missing in the early hours of July 19.

Search teams recovered her body from a lake in Oakmere, Cheshire, on July 21.

At a brief hearing at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington on Wednesday, coroner’s officer Paul Downey said: “Rachel was reported missing from home on July 19. Sadly she was found deceased on July 21 in the lake at Delamere Lake Holiday Park.”

The inquest heard Ms Booth, who was referred to as Rachel Langley during the hearing, was identified by her sister.

Coroner Victoria Davies said: “Given that an unnatural cause of death has been identified on the post-mortem it is appropriate for me to formally open the inquest into the death of Rachel Langley.”

The hearing was adjourned to January 27, when a full inquest will take place.

Ms Booth’s family previously described her as a “guiding light”.

In a tribute released through Cheshire Police following the discovery of her body, the family said: “Her kindness was constant and her presence a strength to everyone she knew, a loving mother, wife, daughter and sister who can never be replaced but always present in our hearts.

“Her absence leaves a space, but her smiles are a memory we will treasure for ever.”

The mother-of-three was seen on CCTV at a garage in Sandiway at 3.50am on July 19 and searches were carried out at the Delamere Lake holiday park, next to Wild Shore Delamere water park, as detectives believed she had travelled there.

Police have previously said her death was not being treated as suspicious.