The body of a man was found on a beach in Blackpool on Saturday morning.

Police were called to New South Promendade at around 5.45am where sadly the man was pronounced dead.

A spokesperson for the police said: "We were called at 5.45am to reports of a man's body being found on a beach at New South Promenade in Blackpool.

"The discovery is not believed to be suspicious and a file will be passed to the coroner in due course."

The body of the man is believed to be one of the three missing crew members from the vessel 'Nicola Faith', which failed to arrive at Rhos-on-Sea harbour in North Wales on January 27.

A huge search by eight RNLI and Coastguard lifeboat and helicopter crews was stood down on January 29.

On March 5, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) confirmed that a life raft, belonging to the missing vessel was located off the coast of Kirkcudbrightshire in Scotland.

Following reports that the bodies of two other men had been found on the coastline off the Wirral over the weekend, on Monday, North Wales Police issued this statement: "We are aware that the bodies of three men have been recovered from the coastline off the Wirral and Blackpool over the weekend.

"We have been in contact with colleagues from both Merseyside and Lancashire police, and we await the outcome of the Home Office post mortem examinations.

"The families of the missing crew members from the vessel ‘Nicola Faith’ have been kept informed, and continue to be supported by specialist officers.

"We would request that they are given the necessary privacy at this difficult time."

Skipper Carl McGrath, 34, and crewmen Ross Ballantine 39, and Alan Minard, 20 were reported missing after their whelk fishing boat, the Nicola Faith, failed to arrive at Rhos-on-Sea harbour on January 27.

The families of the men launched a huge fundraising drive to conduct a private search for the vessel. More than £55,000 has been raised.