Pierre Barnes: Police Find A Body In Search

Police searching for missing 12-year-old Pierre Barnes have found a body, his father has told Sky News.

Pierre went missing on Saturday afternoon just hours after his family, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, arrived on the French island of Porquerolles, for a half-term holiday.

He had gone for a bike ride but did not return. Shortly after the alarm was raised, the youngster's bike was discovered along with his shoe, which was lying nearby.

The body, which was found in the sea by police divers, has not yet been identified but Pierre's father, Stephen Barnes, 57, said he was confident it would prove to be his missing son.

"Obviously it's his body," he said.

"It has been flown to the mainland for an autopsy and we may identify the body tomorrow.

"It makes sense, we saw a helicopter flying around the island earlier."

Torrential weather along the southern coast of France had hampered the search effort on the two-and-a-half mile long island.

More than 150 local volunteers took part in the search alongside French emergency services.

Mr Barnes said at a news conference on Wednesday that he believed his son was dead and his only hope was for his body to be recovered.