Police are digging up woodland as part of an investigation into a missing person, the Manchester Evening News understands.
It is understood the inquiry dates back years, but new information has triggered the search.
Police first arrived in the area, and erected the cordon, at around 8am on Monday morning. (February 7).
The footpath, which links two housing estates and runs from Sherborne Road in Cheadle Heath, to Carrs Road in Cheadle, remained taped off with officers standing guard at either end on Tuesday morning.
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Specialist officers could be seen searching a wooded area at the Sherborne Road end of the path.
A small machine understood to help officers determine the density of ground could be seen being dragged around the area.
A digger was then taken off a low loader and brought through the trees, where it could be seen dragging away the earth.
One officer could be seen taking photographs of the scene.
A GMP crime scene investigation van was parked next to the cordon with forensic officers in plain clothes seen going in and out clutching evidence bags.
A number of other police vehicles were also parked nearby.
In a statement issued early today GMP said: “Officers from GMP Stockport are searching land between Sherborne Road in Cheadle Heath and Carrs Avenue in Cheadle. This is part of an ongoing investigation.
“No more details will be released at this stage but we will provide updates when we are able to. We are working with the local community to minimise disruption.”
One man living nearby said: “It’s a very public footpath that, loads of people use it.
“I walk through the path to take my daughter to school.
“I had gone to pick her up yesterday and on our way back it was blocked off.
“So I came the long way and spoke to the officer stood at the tape and she said they would be there for two weeks and they had been assigned shifts.
“She said they didn’t know anything about it but I think they are obviously just trained to say that.
“There’s obviously something going on and it’s must be something very serious for there to be a 24-hour police presence required.
“They’ve also got one of those big vans where the officers can go and sit and have a brew and something to eat so they obviously knew they are going to be here a while.
“The way they all turned so quickly out of the blue. It’s as if they just got some new information.
“It’s just very strange and obviously a little bit concerning.”
“The digger was there pretty much straight away” he added.
“You do get some disturbance. We had noise all through the night.”
Locals said the area was once the site of an old farmhouse.
(Image: STEVE ALLEN)
One woman living nearby said she was told police were ‘looking for someone in relation to an incident from many years ago.”
“They are apologising for the disruption,” she said.
“They say they are going to be here for a week or more.
“I know others have been told it could be several weeks but they simply said to me it could be a week or more.
“The rumour mill is rife at the minute as to incidents there have been here.
“As we have had a few crimes in the area in the past.
“It’s just human nature to be curious isn’t it, especially when it’s on your doorstep.
“I can only guess they have had a tip-off of some sort.
“The police are being lovely, very friendly and very affable they were just limited in what they could tell us.”
Another resident said: “The police all started arriving at about 8, and then knocked on my door about an hour later.
“An officer told me they expect to be there for quite some time, a number of weeks, carrying out their searches.
“It’s the site of an old farmhouse, banking and wooded area that they seem to be cutting back and searching.
“I was told they were looking for a missing person’s body from many years ago.
“They apologised for any concern or disruption and said that if we needed anything or had any concerns we could go and see any of them. “
A GMP spokesperson said: “The search is in relation to a missing person enquiry.”
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