Is there a serial killer in Bristol? Fears grow that a shadowy figure is drowning young men in a chilling echo of the 'Manchester Pusher' claims

• e-mail

There are growing fears a serial killer is murdering young men in Bristol - by pushing them into the canal and drowning them late at night. 

This comes after the body of a third man was discovered in the River Avon yesterday. 

The man is believed to be Abdulkadir Mahamoud, 29, who was reported missing earlier this month.

It was the third time this year that a missing person had been found in the River Avon or Floating Harbour in the heart of the city.

Deakon Wilkins, 24, from Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, vanished after leaving Motion nightclub in the early hours of 14 January.

And in February 26-year-old Lewis Ball went missing after a night out at Thekla.

Concerns: Bristol residents fear a serial killer is targeting young men after three bodies were found in the River Avon in recent weeks 

Tragic: Deakon Wilkins, 24, from Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, vanished after leaving Motion nightclub in the early hours of January 14

 During an extensive search police released CCTV of Lewis on the night he disappeared and handed out leaflets at the nightclub during the weeks after his disappearance.

He was found at the end of the month by police divers.

Then Abdulkadir Mahamoud went missing on Monday, February 24, after leaving his home in Easton. 

It is thought police recovered his body from the canal yesterday.  

Now Many residents are now growing increasingly concerned that someone is behind the deaths.   

Each of the men who died were in their 20s and had been alone. 

The fears echo the speculation that a 'Manchester Pusher' was on the loose in the city after more than 80 bodies were recovered from canals and rivers since 2008.

Claims were fiercely 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.

Is a serial killer on the loose? Concerns grow after the bodies of Deakon Wilkins, Lewis Ball and now a third man are recovered from the River Avon canal 

The Bristol Post reported the reaction from residents who were concerned about the increasing 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.'

Susan Hall said: 'They [the police] don't have a clue how they came to there deaths but yet all three appear in the waters of Bristol and non-suspicious? Yeah, okay. what are they not telling us here.'

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.

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. 

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.