Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The area is popular with British skiers

The body of a 24-year-old British man has been found after a 12-hour search in the French Alps.

Local newspaper reports suggested he was the victim of a fall.

The man was reported missing in the early hours of Thursday morning after he became separated from his friends while returning from a night out.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office confirmed it is "supporting the family of a British man who has died in the French Alps".

The man's body was spotted by a helicopter at 16:50 local time on Thursday following an extensive search involving police, firefighters and mountain rescue, French newspaper Le Dauphine reported.

It is believed the man was returning to his accommodation in the ski resort of Brides-les-Bains in the early hours of Thursday, after a night out in the nearby village of Les Allues with other British people.

He was reported missing to the police around 05:00 on Thursday after failing to return to his accommodation.

The three-mile walk between Les Allues and Brides-les-Bains takes an estimated one-and-a-half hours. Temperatures were reported to be -3C (26F) at the time.

The Foreign Office said they were working with local authorities. The man's identity has not been released.

The resort of Brides-les-Bains is connected by cable car to the well-known resort of Meribel in France's Trois Vallees, an area popular with British skiers.

The latest tragedy follows the death of trainee surgeon William Reid who died earlier this month after plunging over a 30ft cliff while skiing in the French Alps.