A CYANIDE alert was sparked today when a man's body was found in a river by police.

The body, which is believed to have contained the chemical, was discovered in the River Darwen close to Swan Farm Close off Branch Road, Lower Darwen at 8.12am.

Officers went to the scene after a letter predicting the tragedy and saying where the body could be found arrived at the town centre police station in Railway Road at 7.55am.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.

A chemical incident was declared and the Environment Agency and Fire Service were alerted because it was thought cyanide may have been used.

But a spokesman for the Environment Agency later said there was no risk to the water being polluted.

Access to the area around the river was cordoned off along Branch Road and next to Uncle Jack's public house, after the body was found at the foot of a steep incline.

The emergency services were still working to recover the body at midday today.

Inspector Andy Hill, of Blackburn Police said: "At this stage its unlikely to be suspicious circumstances.

"We haven't identified who the person is although we have our ideas and will inform the next of kin in due course."

A spokesman from the Environment Agency said: "We had a call at about 9am this morning from the fire service.

"We understood there was a body found in the water and that it might contain cyanide.

"But we did not attend as there was no risk to polluting the water."

Local residents were shocked at the discovery.

Peter Young, 46, who lives on Swan Farm Close, said: "I heard the police helicopter circling this morning at around 9am.

"I took the dog for a walk at 9.30 and saw the police down there but didn't know what was going on.

"I have lived here for two and half years but I never thought they would find a body here."

The coroner has been informed and a post mortem examination is due to take place.

Police said: "At this stage it's unlikely to be suspicious circumstances.

"We haven't identified who the person is although we have our ideas and will inform the next of kin in due course."

A spokesman from the Environment Agency said: "We had a call at about 9am this morning from the fire service.

"We understood there was a body found in the water and that it might contain cyanide.

"But we did not attend as there was no risk to polluting the water."

Local residents were shocked at the discovery.

Peter Young, 46, who lives on Swan Farm Close, said: "I heard the police helicopter circling this morning at around 9am.

"I took the dog for a walk at 9.30 and saw the police down there but didn't know what was going on.

"I have lived here for two and half years but I never thought they would find a body here."

The coroner has been informed and a post mortem examination is due to take place.

Cyanide is a highly toxic chemical - less than one gram can be fatal to humans.