A MISSING man's wife today paid tribute to her "best buddy" as her husband's body was found.
Hospital porter Peter Baglin's wife of 21 years, Michelle, 56, said her family "is absolutely devastated" by his death.
She has spent weeks desperately looking for her husband – even joining 200 volunteers along a search of the canal.
Peter, 55, from Greater Manchester, disappeared on December 28 after going for a walk along the nearby Bridgewater canal – just 35 miles from where mum-of-two Nicola Bulley went missing.
As cops confirm his body has been found, his wife Michelle, a housekeeper for the NHS, said: “Today is a day we wished would never come and our family is absolutely devastated at the news of Pete’s passing.
“When I think of Pete, I think of him as my best buddy and after being together almost 30 years, we complemented each other perfectly."
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In a heartbreaking echo of Nicola's disappearance, Peter's mobile phone was found abandoned on the grass verge, along with his hat and headphones.
Cops have now confirmed his body was found following a further search of the area around Bridgewater canal.
Michelle today added that Peter was "a fantastic father, grandfather and great-grandfather; to our three children, our four grandchildren and our great-grand child."
She said: "Pete was also a great brother to his two brothers. He was a much loved son and his mum and dad are being comforted at their home down south by Pete’s brother Paul and Paul’s wife, Katie.
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“Over the last nine or so weeks, we have been endlessly searching for Pete. I would like to pass on a huge thanks from our family to friends and members of the community who have turned out time and time again trying to help us find him.
“We would also like to thank Greater Manchester Police for maintaining contact with me every day since Pete went missing; and also for the constant support they have given me.
“We don’t know how we are going to move on from this day, but whilst we try and come to terms with our loss, and grieve Pete’s passing, we would ask that our privacy is now respected.”
The death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances.
Greater Manchester Police issued a statement over the weekend, with a spokesperson saying: "Officers from GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit made the discovery on Saturday 4 March 2023 at around 10:48am, following a further search of the area around the Bridgwater Canal in Boothstown.
"The remains have not been formally identified, however Peter’s next of kin has been informed and specialist officers are continuing to support the family and their loved.
"The death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing to establish the surrounding circumstances."
While Detective Inspector Michael Sharples of the GMP Salford District said: "Search teams, made up of GMP personnel and colleagues from partner agencies – such as the National Police Air Service, North West Underwater Search Team and Mountain Rescue – have worked extensively to try and find Peter.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has assisted to date, and also to confirm that our enquiries will not stop until we have found the necessary answers for Peter’s loved ones, for our investigation and for coronial proceedings."
Peter was last seen on CCTV buying whisky at a garage in Mossley Common near Worsley.
On a phone call minutes later, he assured wife Michelle he would be home soon – but he never returned.
Peter's heartbroken wife wrote a touching open letter to Nicola Bulley's partner Paul Ansell back in February.
Michelle mentioned that she knew "exactly how you're feeling" after Peter vanished on a walk "just like Nicola".
In the days after his disappearance, Greater Manchester Police had mounted an extensive search for the grandfather, with teams specialising in mountain rescue, underwater searches and drones being deployed.
Police sent divers into the Bridgewater Canal for a second time in recent days as in the hope of potential new leads in the search for the great-grandad.
Last week, efforts ramped up further after a voluntary underwater search team, Beneath the Surface, stepped in to offer help.
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They used high frequency sonar technology to scour around three miles of the canal, but their search did not indicate a body was in the water.
On the night Peter went missing, police said there were "extremely low temperatures" and that a change in seasons can "impact how the water behaves".
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