A BODY recovered from the River Tees yesterday afternoon has been confirmed as that of 18-year-old Christopher Shaw.

His body was seen by a passer-by near the Millennium Bridge, in Stockton - only several hundred yards from where he was last seen alive.

The shipping clerk had been seen waiting for a taxi in Stockton High Street, at 2am last Sunday, after visiting the Zanzibar nightclub with a group of friends he had known since school.

A post-mortem examination will now be held to establish the cause of death.

Last night, a spokesman for Cleveland Police said: "Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of his disappearance and his subsequent death."

Earlier his mother, Donna Shaw, had made an emotional appeal for him to get in touch.

Christopher lived with his family in Thistle Road, Stockton, and worked as a shipping clerk at Graypen, in Billingham.

He had been wearing a distinctive white Lambretta shirt with blue and red stripes on the sleeves on the night he disappeared.

Fuzzy security TV footage shows a youth matching his description standing outside the nightclub.

Police last night renewed their appeal for anyone who may have been wearing similar clothing in the club that night to come forward. Anyone with information is urged to call police on (01642) 326326.