A HUMAN torso was washed up on the beach at Eastbourne today.

A walker called the emergency services yesterday after spotting the body in the sea.

This morning, coastguards from Eastbourne spent two hours recovering the body. They confirmed it was without arms, legs or a head.

They had attempted to recover the torso yesterday but were prevented by poor weather and the tide.

At 8.30am today, one coastguard was positioned at the top of Beachy Head, opposite the Beachy Head pub, to control the operation by radio.

He guided Eastbourne's in-shore lifeboat to the body, washed up on the beach.

It is not yet known whether the body, believed to have been in the water for several days, is male or female.

Apolice spokesman said: "At the moment we don't know anything about the body.

"It could be a missing person who jumped from the cliff, or a missing diver, or someone who was buried at sea.

"It could be suspicious or it could be completely innocent. It's impossible to say at this stage.

"It is standard practice to send police to look at bodies washed up."

Police examined the body before it was taken away by coastguards in an orange body bag.

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