THE body of an 81-year-old man has been recovered from the River Tees.

Cleveland Police had issued an appeal for information about missing pensioner Sydney Presgrave of Stockton on Friday, December 6.

However a body, found in the river by North Yorkshire Police, also on Friday, has now been identified as that of Mr Presgrave.

Mr Presgrave was last seen at Middleton One Row, near Darlington and was walking in the direction of the River Tees, away from the Devenport Hotel on The Front.

“Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time,” said a Cleveland Police spokeswoman.