Detectives probing the cause of a series of explosions and fire at a mill that killed four people are to leave the site within weeks.

Specialist officers from Cheshire Police have been working alongside investigators from the Health and Safety Executive to find the cause of the devastating event which ripped apart Wood Treatment Ltd in Bosley on July 17.

Derek Moore, 62, Dorothy Bailey, 62, William Barks, 51, and Jason Shingler, 38, were killed in the tragedy.

Mr Shingler’s body has never been recovered.

Now after a painstaking search of the site on Tunstall Road which has taken almost six months, police are to leave the site.

Detective Chief Superintendent Philip Jones from Cheshire Police said: “In the many months since, Cheshire Constabulary, with its colleagues from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Health and Safety Executive, has worked tirelessly at the scene with wider support from organisations such as Cheshire East Council.

“During that time there has been an extensive search and recovery operation that has required great care in an extremely challenging environment.

“Over the next weeks, the Constabulary will withdraw from the site and the demolition related to the search and recovery phase will cease.

“This will formally bring the search and recovery operation to a close.

“The families of the deceased have been notified of this scaling down process, and Cheshire Constabulary will continue to work hard with our partners to fully establish the circumstances around this tragic incident.

“The investigation into the circumstances of what happened on July 17 will continue into the foreseeable future with many follow up enquiries still to be made as part of the ongoing investigation.

“We are working hard with partners, particularly the local authority, to bring back some normality to the area and community.”

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