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Bristol residents fear a serial killer could be on the loose after three young were found dead in the city's waterways within weeks.

The body of a man - believed to be missing Abdulkadir Mahamoud, 29 - was recovered by police yesterday.

It was the third time in a matter of weeks that a body of a young man had been found in the River Avon or Floating Harbour.

Social media users fear that a serial killer could be on the loose, targeting young men who have been out clubbing for the night.

The fears echo the speculation that a 'Manchester Pusher' is targeting young men in the city as more than 80 bodies have been recovered from canals and rivers in the city since 2008.

Last year a documentary titled ‘Manchester’s Serial Killer?’ was shown on Channel 4 probing the claims - which are vigorously denied by police.

There was also a spate of five deaths of young men in rivers and canals within ten miles of each other in Yorkshire last year.

(Image: Bristol Post)

The Bristol Post has looked at the online reaction to the spate of deaths in the city.

Joe Henderson said: "Police and the media are avoiding the obvious – becoming very clear that Bristol has a serial killer on the loose."

Alistair Bunce said: "Bristol Pusher strikes again? Surely CID must be starting to think there is someone out there pushing people in!"

Bianca Symone Liliana Anoushka said: "This is strange. Been saying it for months now. Noticed as they are all men and not women.

"Perhaps there's a pusher? Perhaps robbing drunk men after nights out and pushing them in the river? Who knows?"

Claire John says: "Something definitely is not right. Too many bodies in the river."

Louise Kaye Hulme says: "I don't care what any one says but there is something sinister about these deaths!"

However after the recovery of the bodies of Deakon Wilkins and Lewis Ball, Avon and Somerset police stressed that neither death was being treated as suspicious.

(Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary)

In both instances, the cases have been handed to the Avon Coroner for investigation, rather than being treated as criminal cases.

So far the force has not said whether or not Abdulkadir Mahamoud's death is being treated as suspicious.

Asked about the speculation over the deaths, an Avon & Somerset police spokesman said today: "It is too early to comment at this stage."

Both Deakon Wilkins and Lewis Ball had gone missing in separate incidents, after nights out at city nightclubs near the Floating Harbour.

Although inquests into the deaths of the two men have yet to conclude, their deaths led to the Royal Life Saving Society issuing a warning for young people to be more safety conscious near water.

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In response to fears of a 'Manchester Pusher', a Greater Manchester Police statement last year said: “[We] would never dismiss or diminish the death of any person or any of the findings of a coroner.

“Each death has been subject to significant investigation and review by detective teams overseen by a senior investigating officer.

"If evidence of a crime being committed is not proved, then cases such as these are independently scrutinised by Her Majesty’s Coroner within the coronial process, who deliver the verdict.

“It is not the police who deliver the finding of death whether that be a natural causes, suicide, accident, unlawful killing, open or narrative verdict.

“There has been speculation in the media regarding suspicious elements to deaths in Greater Manchester’s waterways.

“There remains no evidence to indicate there is a serial killer at loose.

“We are concerned that each time this story is reported it is causing unnecessary upset amongst the families of those who have lost their loved ones as well as causing concerns within the local community.”