A BODY has been found by police hunting for missing dad-of-three Philip Eyre, the force has said.

The body of a man was found near Huish Lane in Somerton by a member of the public on Friday.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: "Officers believe that this is Philip Eyres however formal identification is yet to take place.

"We would like to thank the public for their help in relation to this matter."

Earlier this week 58-year-old Mr Eyre's son Tom, of Buckland St Mary, said his family had been left mystified by his disapperance from his home in Somerton on December 6.

He said: “It’s dreadful, totally out of the blue. We’re making a big effort to try to find him.

“We’re a close family and everything seemed OK, so it’s a complete mystery."