A BODY found near Barton-on Sea is thought to be that of Osman Sharif, who went missing on Tuesday after setting out from Mudeford Quay to go fishing.

A man walking on the beach between Highcliffe and New Milton was alerted by a fellow passer-by, who had spotted the body washed on to a groyne below Marine Drive around 3pm today.

Solent coastguard was alerted along with the police, who informed the missing man’s next of kin of the discovery. Efforts to recover the body from the sea are still going on this morning.

Earlier in the day a shoreline search had been resumed after a boot belonging to the fisherman had washed up near New Milton on Wednesday evening.

The police helicopter was launched yesterday morning to search the area between Highcliffe and Milford-on-Sea but was stood down in the afternoon.

The 32-year-old Londoner was reported missing by his family on Tuesday night after he failed to return home.

The last time they heard from him was at 2pm on Tuesday afternoon when he telephoned them to tell them he was coming back.

But by 10pm, the worried family raised the alarm, and a major search operation was launched involving coastguard and lifeboats from Southbourne, Lymington, Yarmouth and Mudeford.

The coastguard helicopter discovered his missing inflatable dinghy, minus its outboard motor, in an inaccessible place 300 yards east of Chewton Bunny, near to Barton-on-Sea, during the late night search on Tuesday.

His car was also found at Mudeford Quay car park that night and the search resumed at first light on Wednesday morning.

The search was made more difficult due to the rough weather conditions on Tuesday night and throughout Wednesday.

Mr Sharif's family are in constant contact with Dorset Police. Further attempts to recover the body will be made later today.