Investigations continue this week into the cause of the death of a man found dead off a beach.

It is now understood that the victim was in the water a few feet from land at Princes Parade, Hythe, and police had to pull him in.

A post mortem examination is due tomorrow at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

Formal identification of the victim, believed to be a local man in his 40s, may also take place at the hospital and once that happens an inquest is expected to open next week.

A Kent Police spokesman said; “A file has been prepared for the coroner. We are not treating this as a suspicious death but it is unexplained.

“We now believe that he was a local man, aged in his 40s.

“Next of kin have been informed.”

Police were alerted at 3.50pm last Friday after a member of the public saw the body midway between the Mercure Hythe Imperlal hotel and Princes Parade’s junction with the A259 at Seabrook.

It was also thought he may have been swimming at the time of his death.

Witnesses reported seeing around seven police cars at the scene that Friday evening.

Officers taped off a section of the beach as they carried out their enquiries.

They remained at the scene for just over three hours.

Video: Body found on beach. Courtesy: Gary Browne

KM photographer Gary Browne arrived shortly after the body was found and said; “I saw the body on the beach close to the sea wth police attending to it.

“Officers had covered it from public view before it could be taken away.

“By the time I arrived the police operation was scaling down with just three officers left.”