A body of a 34-year-old man has been recovered from Beachy Head.

Police were on routine patrol early yesterday morning when they discovered an abandoned car.

Officers checked and traced the owner and a missing persons investigation was carried out for several hours.

The body of a man was then recovered by Dover Coastguard just before 9pm yesterday at Shooters Bottom, Beachy Head.

The deceased has been identified as James Alexander Pearson, 34, from Sheldon, Birmingham.

Sussex Police are not treating the death as suspicious and have said the Coroners' officer has been informed and an inquest will be held in due course.