A TEENAGER and his friend have described how they found a body floating in a well in Warlingham.
Jack Duncan, 17, and Rory Mulholland, 21, made the grisly discovery while working in the garden of a cottage in Audley Drive at around 1.50pm yesterday (Friday).
Seven people have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently being questioned by the police.
Jack, who lives in New Addington, and his friend Rory had been asked to do some gardening at the house on Thursday and returned the following day to clear up.
"There were some brambles on top of the well and while I was using a rake to clear them I noticed there was something covering the top of the well," said Jack.
"It was like a paving slab. Rory lifted it off and we saw a blue thing in water, like something was covered in tarpaulin.
"I got some gutter piping and I was poking it and spinning it around, which was unravelling where it had been wrapped up.
"I didn't think it was a body, I didn't know what it was.
"Then I saw the shape of two legs, and then a backside, and I realised it was a body.
"It was definitely a man. You could tell by the size of his thighs, he had builder's legs. It was definitely an adult. It still had skin and hair, so couldn't have been there for very long.
"I was shocked because I had been working right next to it. I'd even sat on the well to have a cigarette with the body beneath me."
Jack then called the police.
"At first they said it was probably just a rolled up carpet but I knew it wasn't," he explained.
"So they came and looked down there. They used the pole I was using, realised it was a body and closed off the scene."
Rory and Jack had been asked to do some gardening at the house by a friend.
He explained that when they arrived at the house on Thursday, a group of Polish men appeared to be moving out.
"They looked like they were in a hurry but I didn't think anything of it," said Jack.
"They had suitcases and big bags full of all their stuff. They were taking it away in a van and coming back for more.
"When we came back on the Friday, no one was left."
Rory said: "After we pulled up the slab we saw a blue shape. I tried to move it with the rake but it wasn't long enough so we got the pipe.
"I didn't know what it was at first but then I saw it had bodily features.
"I didn't believe what I was seeing. I was shaky and I felt a bit sick."
Nicky Duncan, Jack's mother, said her son had been disturbed by what he found.
"He might no say it, but I know it's really got to him," she said.
"After he had a bath last night he told me every time he looked into the water all he could think of was the body."
A specialist recovery unit is currently trying to remove the body from the well.
Police have said the cause of death is not known, and have not officially confirmed the gender or age of the victim.
Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call the police incident room on 020 8721 4961 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
