POLICE have identified the body found on Morecambe Bay sands earlier today as that of missing windsurfer Giles Stothert.

The 61-year-old, from Saltcote, Glasson Dock, was last seen by friends in the sea at around 4.20pm yesterday but failed to come out of the water.

A major search was launched covering from Blackpool up to Grange-over-Sands and this afternoon police confirmed a body was found at Middleton Sands earlier today.

HM Coastguard began co-ordinating the search late Sunday afternoon after receiving a report that four windsurfers had been out and only three had made it back to shore.

The windsurfer disappeared in foggy conditions near to the entrance to the River Lune, at the south end of Morecambe Bay.

A multi-agency search was launched involving Morecambe Coastguard, Knott End Coastguard, Morecambe RNLI inshore lifeboat and hovercraft, Fleetwood lifeboat, Blackpool lifeboat, police and rescue helicopters.

A team of 14 men from Ulverston Inshore Rescue carried out a search from 8.30pm until 2.30am using quad bikes and a 4x4 vehicle with all boats on stand-by.

Bay Search and Rescue were also involved in the search last night.

Using two hagglunds supported by two land rovers on the shore the team searched for three hours around the areas of Grange over Sands and Kents Bank.