Police searching for a missing man have found a body.

Emergency services were called to a stretch of woodland in Ashford amid the search for John Macklin, who was last seen more than a month ago.

Residents reported seeing police, forensic units and a private ambulance attend the scene in woodland just off Trinity Road, close to Ashford's Eureka Leisure Park yesterday.

This morning, a police spokesman confirmed that the force's search for Mr Macklin had been called off following the discovery of a body just before 10.30am.

The tragic discovery has been made very close to where the first large-scale operation was launched to find the 43-year-old.

Kent Search and Rescue teams were in Dobbies car park at the town's Eureka Park on October 3.

The month-long search also saw his home village of Eastling, outside Faversham, searched along with the nearby Sheldwich.

About 30 officers were seen combing the countryside in Eastling earlier this month.

The latest police appeal had asked anyone who may have seen and spoken to Mr Macklin at the William Harvey Hospital on Friday, September 23 – three days before he was reported missing.

This morning, a spokesman said: "At around 10.25am yesterday, Thursday October 27, Kent Police attended a location in Ashford where the body of a man was located. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

"Formal identification has not yet taken place, however the family of a 43-year-old man who was reported missing from Eastling near Faversham on September 26 have been informed.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner."