A body was recovered from the sea by a lifeboat yesterday afternoon.

Swanage lifeboat station was launched at 12.44pm on Thursday, May 23 when someone on a motorboat reported seeing what appeared to be a person in the water.

The lifeboat arrived at the scene as quickly as possible, recovered the person from the water and took them back to the lifeboat station.

Sadly they were pronounced dead by ambulance paramedics a short time later. A spokesperson for Swanage lifeboat said: "Our thoughts are with the casualty's family."

Dorset Police was called at 12.54pm by HM Coastguard and was informed that a boat had discovered a body in the sea off the coast of Swanage.

Enquiries are underway to establish the identity of the body and the circumstances of the death.