The body of a middle-aged man has been found in the River Wear, lifeboat crews have said.

A member of the public reported seeing a person lying beside the river yesterday (Saturday, July 7) and a lifeboat was launched from Sunderland RNLI Lifeboat Station, the service said.

Sunderland RNLI added: ''Shortly before 11:30am Northumbria Police received a 999 emergency telephone call from a member of the public reporting the sighting of a person lying on mud-banks at the edge of the River Wear opposite The Shipwrights, Castletown, Sunderland.

''Northumbria Police immediately passed the information onto Coastguard Officers at Humber Coastguard who requested the launch of Sunderland RNLI's D Class inshore lifeboat.''

The man's body was found and taken to South Hylton Slipway where it was handed over to Northumbria Police and paramedics.

Paul Nicholson, Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said: ''We worked closely with the police officers at the scene to ensure that the correct procedures were followed to allow their investigation to take place once the body was taken ashore.''

The man's identity is not yet known, RNLI Sunderland added.