POLICE have identified the body of a man found in the River Tees as that of missing Lee Brown.

The body of Mr Brown, 24, was found on Friday.

"A post mortem has taken place and the death is not being treated as suspicious," said a spokeswoman for Cleveland Police.

"Specialist officers are continuing to support Lee’s family and our thoughts are with them at this sad time."

The last confirmed sighting of Mr Brown was at about 11.25pm on Saturday, April 25, near to the River Tees Watersports Centre in Stockton.

He had been at a party on the Teesside Princess boat on the evening that he went missing. He got off the boat in Stockton and was reported missing when he failed to contact family or friends.

Last month, his mother Violet broke down in tears as she pleaded for help to find the father-of-one, who was said to be struggling to cope with the breakdown of his relationship with the mother of his son.

In an emotional plea, she said: “My son Lee has been missing since Saturday, his son Harrison is missing him, his brother Brett, myself, his cousin Aaron and the rest of his family, are missing him. This isn’t Lee; this silence, he was in regular touch by text or call numerous times a day.

“Someone must have seen or heard from him, I’m asking you to let the police know anything, however, small it may make a difference. I just want my big beautiful son back please.”