A BADLY decomposed body was recovered from the sea this afternoon about five and a half miles east of Dover.

It was initially too difficult to identify the sex of the person due to the length of time the remains had been in the water.

The body was recovered by a Dover lifeboat crew headed by coxswain Dave Pascall, following a report to the coastguard by angling boat Sea Searcher.

The lifeboat was launched at about 1.40pm and returned to its station at 2.30pm