Police launch appeal to identify body of a man.

Police are appealing for help to identify the body of a man washed up on a beach on New Year’s Day.

The body, which is believed to have been in the water for up to a week, was found on a beach at Hayling Island in Hampshire and was discovered by a member of the public at around 8.56am.

Hampshire police, who are investigating the incident, said there is nothing to suggest the man is local to the area.

DI Scott Clarke of Hampshire Constabulary said: “We’re very keen to establish the identity of this man and would appeal to anyone who may recognise either the description of the clothes he was wearing or his numerous tattoos to get in touch.

“There is nothing to suggest this man is local, and for that reason we are focusing right along the coast, incorporating both Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset and up to Wales.”

The body found is that of a white man, thought to be between 50 and 60, and is 6ft 5in tall and of stocky build.

He has crew-cut receding grey hair and was dressed in a black shirt, Easy jeans, brown Chelsea-style boots with a black plastic Casio digital watch.

The man also has a number of tattoos, including a skull and crossbones on his right upper arm, a dagger through a heart with scrolls top and bottom with the words ‘mum & dad’ on his lower inside right arm, as well as an eagle head with a scroll saying ’Eric’ and a skull wearing a Native American Indian headdress.

Detectives are treating the man’s death as unexplained and a post-mortem examination has been conducted.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Hampshire Constabulary on 0845 045 45 45.