A 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering 18-year-old Ellen Higginbottom who was found dead in Orrell Water Park.
Miss Higginbottom was reported missing by her family at 7.20pm on Friday, when she failed to return from college.
Her friends said she had last been seen near the reservoirs in Wigan.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) searched the area and discovered a body at around 2.30am on Saturday.
On Sunday, police arrested a man from the Billinge area of Wigan on suspicion of murder. He is currently in custody for questioning.
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A post-mortem examination gave the teenager’s cause of death as multiple wounds to the neck.
Detective Superintendent Howard Millington, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “This is an absolute tragedy, my thoughts are with Ellen’s family and friends. What they must be going through is unimaginable.
“We are also working with Wigan Council and Winstanley College, where Ellen was a pupil, to ensure support is in place for anyone affected by this shocking incident.
“The post-mortem has now taken place and we have a clearer picture of what may have happened to Ellen, but we are still piecing together her exact movements in the lead-up to her death.”