Body found in bush near Epping Esplanade in Henderson, West Auckland

Police are guarding the scene at Epping Esplanade in Henderson. Photos / Dean Purcell

A body has been found in bush near a park in West Auckland.

Officers are at an area in Epping Rd in Henderson, with some clad in white boiler suits and breathing apparatus.

Police have confirmed a body has been found at a location near Epping Esplanade.

Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Williams said the body was found this afternoon.

The discovery is believed to be connected to a missing person.

"However until formal identification processes are complete we are unable to confirm this."

Police say the body was discovered earlier today.

Identification is expected to take some time, Williams said.

The scene at Epping Esplanade this afternoon.

The scene has been cordoned off and a police guard will remain overnight.

Local resident Arpit Joshi said it was "quite a shock" when several police cars pulled up at the end of their street this afternoon.

"It was really sad to find out they found a body, and initially we were a bit scared, but police told us there was no danger."

It was the first police presence they'd seen in the reserve of late, and the way they all turned up at once indicated to Joshi there could have been a report about the body.

"When police spoke to us they asked if we had smelt anything, which we hadn't, but which made me think it could have been there for a while.

"We haven't seen police there at all lately, just today. We use that reserve every day, and it has been quite busy lately with people getting exercise during lockdown, but nobody noticed anything."

Police had 'serious concerns' for missing Henderson man

Waitematā police said yesterday they had serious concerns for a Henderson man who had been missing for three months.

Calvin Lindsay Wicksteed's family last heard from him in January and recently reported him as missing.

The 59-year-old man was "typically known to frequent the Henderson area, but his recent whereabouts were unknown", a police statement said.

Calvin Lindsay Wicksteed's family last heard from him in January and recently reported him as missing.

Wicksteed was described as 175cm tall, of slim build and with straight dark brown/greying hair.

It is not know if today's discovery is linked to Wicksteed's disappearance.