Tragedy as police searching for missing man find body on beach

A body found on Formby Beach is believed to be that of a missing man, police have said. Emergency services raced to the popular Merseyside beauty spot just before 8:30am this morning (Sunday).

Eyewitnesses said an ambulance, medical response car and four police vehicles all descended on the area. Merseyside Police have confirmed the body of a man was discovered. It is yet to be formally identified, but is believed to be that of missing Theeraphat Khongthale.

The death is being treated as 'unexplained' with a post-mortem due to take place, the force said. The 23 year-old was last seen on Formby beach, in Sefton, at around 3.30pm on Monday, February 3.

Extensive searches of the National Trust site have taken place over the course of this week to find him, with Merseyside Police launching an investigation in conjunction with HM Coastguard and Southport Lifeboat, the Liverpool Echo reports.

A police statement said: "Officers investigating the disappearance of 23-year-old man, Theeraphat Khongthale, can confirm that a body of man was found just before 8.30am this morning, Sunday 16 February.

"Theeraphat was last seen on Formby beach at around 3.30pm on Monday, 3 February . At this time the death is being treated as unexplained and a post mortem examination will take place to establish the cause. The body is yet to be formally identified."

Ambulances have now left the area but the beach, which has a number of walking routes leading into it, remains deserted.