THE body of a man has been recovered from York's River Ouse.

North Yorkshire Police said the force received a call at 9.30am on Saturday reporting a body in the river close to Lendal Bridge.

"Emergency services attended and the body of a man was recovered from the water," said a spokesman.

"Sadly the man was pronounced dead at the scene.There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances."

He said the deceased man had not yet been formally identified, and added that Museum Street - and the bridge - was closed for just under one hour to allow the body to be removed.

The Press has reported previously how rescue boats were called out after the ambulance service received a report of a person in the water.

The bridge was closed while fire, police and ambulance services attended the incident, along with York Rescue Boat, but it re-opened at just before 10.30am.

The river fatality is believed to be the first since five people drowned in a three week period in the Ouse and the Foss in April.

One of those deaths, of Sonny Ferry, 19, from Rutland, during a night out, prompted the launch of a £45,000 fundraising campaign by his family, with the aim of buying a new state-of-the-art craft for York Rescue Boat to help prevent further such tragedies in future.