POLICE and fire rescue units yesterday recovered a body from the muddy banks of the River Usk in Newport.

A member of the public spotted the body on mudflats on the riverbank behind Rodney Parade and called police just after 3pm.

Police have not yet identified the decomposed body, which is thought to be that of a young male. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Sergeant Chris Garrett, of Maindee police, said the description of clothes on the body matched that of a missing person, but inquiries were continuing.

"We have notified the family to prepare for the worst, but we are by no means certain of identity as yet," he said.

"We are hoping that a relative can identify the body sometime today from a piece of jewellery or clothing."

A boat crew from Maindee fire station used inflatable walkways to cross the mudflats, helped by a crew from Malpas station who were on hand with safety equipment. A rescue unit from Barry was also called out.

Sub-officer Mark Bolton, from Malpas fire station, was in charge of the recovery operation.

He said: "This was a relatively simple job because the weather conditions were good. But without this specialist equipment it would have been made very difficult by the mud. Sadly, finds like these are not uncommon in this river, so the crews are well-prepared."

l Last Thursday the body of missing pensioner Donald Willis, 75, was pulled from the River Usk, near Clip-per Close, St Julians, after being spotted by the police helicopter.

Mr Willis, a retired butcher of Langstone, went missing last Tuesday after he failed to return home from picking up newspapers in Langstone.