THE body of a male found in the River Ellen beside the Maryport Wave Centre at 7.45 am Thursday (February 16) had been the subject of an extensive search hours before he was found.

Maryport Rescue's senior helmsman Gary Hampson said the volunteer service was called out at 2 am today.

"We, along with Whitehaven and Maryport Coastguards and the other emergency services, searched an area from the south side of Flimby to Maryport," he said.

"The team was eventually stood down at about 6.30but police warned us that we may be called out again.

"We were back out at 8 am to recover a body from the Ellen River adjacent to the Wave Centre on Irish Street.

"The retrieval was quite quick but it was after lunch by the time we finished with the formalities."

The body was discovered by a local resident whose mother said he was too upset to talk about it.

Once the body was recovered the operation was moved to the Maryport Rescue headquarters on the docks.

Despite this, the Wave Centre remained closed until 1pm.

A spokesperson for Cumbria Police said: "Police were contacted at around 7.45 am today (February 16) to the report of a sudden death of a man on Irish Street, Maryport.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious. The coroner will be informed."

The body has not been identified at this stage.