A man’s body has been found in the River Crouch near Burnham in Essex.

Officers were contacted by Thames Coastguard at 3.15pm on Thursday after yachtsmen reported seeing the body floating at the mouth of the river.

Essex Police said the body was taken to Colchester General Hospital, the Coroner’s office was informed and a post mortem examination will be held.

The man has not been identified and it is not yet known how he came to be in the water or how he died.

He was wearing a wetsuit and is believed to have been in the water for some time. The man’s death is currently being treated as unexplained.

Officers have been liaising with other police forces in both the UK and coastal Europe to see if they can help to identify the man.

Detective Superintendent Lydia George, of Colchester’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We do not know who this man is and would urge anyone who has any information to contact with us.

“He was a well-built man with a short ginger beard and long ginger hair. He was wearing a full-length black wetsuit which had a blue Mystic logo on the right arm of the sleeve.”

People with information are asked to call Essex Police on 101.