Detectives have launched a murder inquiry following the

discovery of a body of a man on the beach at Rustington.

The body of Derek Leo Taylor was discovered close to the Sea Lane area of the beach on Monday morning.A post mortem found the 60 year old had drowned.

Detectives immediately treated the incident as suspicious and last night confirmed they were treating his death as murder.A 30-year-old Sussex man, arrested and questioned shortly after the discovery of Mr Taylor's body has been released on police bail while further enquiries are made.

Mr Taylor's last known address was in the St Leonard's area at least five years ago, but he was of no fixed abode at the time of his death. Detectives believe he had been a wanderer between towns along the Sussex coast for the past few years and he has no known family in the area.

Murder squad detectives are appealing for witnesses who were in the Rustington beach area between 11pm last Sunday and 2.30am on Monday.They are especially keen to trace the occupants of a red Cavalier and a cream Citroen.

The alarm was raised by a passerby who reported seeing a man running fully clothed into the sea in the early hours of Monday morning. The coastguard and Sussex Police helicopter were called and, following a search of the area, the body was discovered.

The incident room at Worthing can be contacted on 0845 60 70 999.

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