Body found on the waterfront at Gourock pier

The tragic discovery was made yesterday and Greenock police and crews from Greenock Coastguard Rescue Team were on the scene in numbers and cordoned the area off.

Police officers, ambulance teams and coastguard personnel gathered at the shorefront area close to the railway station and car park around 7am.

It's understood a member of the public made the grim find and alerted the authorities.

Local residents said they were shocked to see the emergency activity close to the pier and expressed their sadness.

Early morning commuters heading to the station saw that a large section of the water's edge and of the pierhead had been taped off.

One onlooker told the Tele: "I was just on my way to work when I came down and immediately saw all the emergency services gathered there.

"I knew straight away it must be something very serious with the amount of them there.

"It's very sad indeed."

Police officers were also observed standing guard on the pier and on lower Kempock Street.

A dinghy had been spotted in the same area on Thursday evening but it has not yet been confirmed if that search was connected to the discovery.

Coastguard officials told the Telegraph that the incident was being dealt with by Greenock police.

Greenock CID confirmed that the body of a male had been found on the waterfront and recovered.

Officers said yesterday that they did not suspect any criminality in relation to the tragic death.

They immediately began the process of formal identification of the body and informing the deceased's next of kin.