Durdle Door: Body found in search for missing swimmer

Durdle Door is a natural arch on Dorset's Jurassic Coast

A body has been found following a search for a man in his 20s who went missing off the Dorset coast.

The alarm was raised when the man, from London, failed to return to shore after swimming near Durdle Door on Sunday.

An air, sea and shoreline search was carried out. Dorset Police said a body was located in the water near Man O'War Beach shortly after 12:30 BST.

Formal identification is yet to be carried out but the man's family has been informed.

The man had been swimming with two other people when he got into difficulty near Durdle Door at about 17:45 BST on Sunday.

In addition to two coastguard helicopters, lifeboats from Weymouth and Swanage were involved in the search along with Weymouth, Kimmeridge and Wyke Coastguard rescue teams.

Further shoreline searches were carried out on Monday.

Ch Insp Stu Pitman, of Dorset Police, said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man at this very difficult time.

"I would like to thank everyone involved for the prompt and co-ordinated multi-agency search effort and those members of the public who assisted in sharing our appeal."

Crowds have flocked to the beauty spot, near Lulworth, in recent weeks since lockdown restrictions were eased.

HM Coastguard said the "very intensive and thorough" search had been carried out until nightfall on Sunday.

Last month, three people suffered serious injuries at Durdle Door after leaping from the landmark limestone arch.

Thousands of people were evacuated from the beach and surrounding cliff area to allow air ambulances to land.