A man has died after falling in a canal in Manchester city centre in the early hours of the morning.

Emergency crews were called to a stretch of water known as the Undercroft, off Dale Street near Piccadilly Station, at around 2.55am on Thursday.

A man, believed to be middle-aged, was found floating in the canal. Paramedics fought to save him, but he was later pronounced dead.

Police say the man was seen to fall into the water and officers do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

The incident was the latest in a series of canal fatalities at the Undercroft, which runs from Dale Street to Minshull Street near the Gay Village, in recent years.

The MEN told two weeks ago how the ‘canal blackspot’ will get extra security measures - ahead of it being completely blocked off at night.

The Undercroft is getting new barriers, grab rails and safety chains in order to address ‘serious health and safety issues’.

Listed building consent has been granted by the council, while a consultation into a full overnight lock-down on the stretch is due to be completed soon.

On Thursday morning, police officers stood guard over the scene and cordoned off a path leading from Dale Street to the canal towpath and a tunnel towards Minshull Street.

Part of the canal basin was still frozen over.

A GMP spokesman said: “Police were called to the canal near to Dale Street in Manchester city centre following a report by a witness that a man had fallen into the canal.

“Officers attended and found the body of a man. The death is being treated as non-suspicious and a post-mortem is due take place to establish the cause of death. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances as to how he ended up in the water.”

After the death, Manchester councillor Pat Karney said: “We’re very saddened to hear this and our thoughts are with this man’s family and friends.

"I’ve spoken to the police this morning and we will meet with them again this afternoon to assess the situation.”

Last week police chiefs moved to dispel the ‘myth’ of a serial killer stalking Greater Manchester’s waterways after meeting with the university professor who had backed the claims.

Psychology expert Craig Jackson had suggested that the 60 bodies pulled from the region’s canals in the past seven years could be down to foul play.

He also said he had been contacted by some of the victim’s bereaved families who he said were ‘alarmed’ by the high number of deaths.

However GMP bosses, council leaders and the region’s police and crime commissioner all dismissed the claims that a serial killer could be at work as nonsense.