A MAN’S body has been recovered from the River Wear near Witton-le-Wear.

Police were alerted after the body was spotted by a member of the public at 12.40pm on Sunday.

Emergency services attended but despite their efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation is now underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the man’s death and how he ended up in the river.

Formal identification has yet to take place. Although unexplained, police are not at this time treating his death as suspicious.

Officers would like to hear from anyone who may have seen a man walking along the riverbank in the Witton-le-Wear area from around noon.

Call Durham Constabulary on 101 with any information, quoting incident number 210 of March 24.