An inquest has opened into the death of a man found in the sea four days after going missing.

The body of Tom Ayris, 37, was recovered by the coastguard off St Margaret’s Bay, near Dover, on June 14.

The former Canterbury schoolboy was living in London but had a number of connections to Kent, particularly to the cathedral city, Folkestone and Dover.

Tragically, Mr Ayris's family were unaware of the discovery and issued a heart-wrenching appeal to find him five days after his body was found.

At the inquest opening at Oakwood House in Maidstone on Wednesday, coroner Katrina Hepburn said Mr Ayris was found with no identification.

The coastguard radioed for help and colleagues winched his body to the top of the cliffs.

The inquest heard Mr Ayris was a single man and a cycle courier who lived in Southern Grove in Bow, east London.

He had been missing since June 10, from when it was noticed there was no more activity on his social media and phone.

Family and friends, not yet realising what had happened, had on June 19 publicly appealed to find him.

The Metropolitan Police in the borough of Tower Hamlets, where Mr Ayris lived, had also appealed for information on his whereabouts.

Ms Hepburn adjourned the inquest until September 9.