A couple on a bike has called the attention of Police and firefighters after he saw what looked like a corpse wrapped with a black bin bag floating next to a heap of branches and reeds.

Police and firefighters at de la Loire, in central France, rushed to the scene, only to discover that it was a false alarm, and a funny one at that.

UK Metro reported that following the emergency call at 12.30pm on Tuesday, the body was hauled back on the canal banks with the help of firefighters.