POLICE investigating the disappearance of a Bexhill man who had been living in Portugal have discovered a body near the town of Picha.

Joel Eldridge, 29, was living in Macieira near Serta, Portugal, when he disappeared.

His family last heard from him in mid-July last year, and by a UK-based firm who had an enquiry from him on July 26 last year about potential work back in the UK.

Portugese police investigating his disappearance have discovered a body near the town of Picha.

Officers had already been treating the case as murder and their homicide team have been investigating.

Mr Eldridge was reported missing to Sussex Police in late August last year and police issued a public and media appeal for information on August 31.

His parents made a further media and public appeal, with police support, on his 30th birthday in March this year.

Detectives from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team have been working closely with the national Portuguese Judicial Police.

Valuable assistance is also being given by the National Crime Agency's international liaison officers.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Friday, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: “Our enquiries, supporting those of the Portuguese investigators, gave us cause to believe that Joel had come to harm at the hands of others in while in Portugal.

"We understand that further tests are needed to confirm that the body is that of Joel, but we suspect this to be the case and we have updated his family about this development. Our thoughts are with them at this sad time.

“On behalf of the Portugese Judicial Police, who continue to lead this murder investigation, we still ask anyone in the UK who may have heard from Joel since he went missing in July 2018, or who may have any other information about him or about anyone else who knew him, in the UK or Portugal, to contact us online at www.sussex.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us or by calling 101, quoting Operation Lyra."