POLICE are appealing for information after a pensioner was found dead on the shore of the River Thames in Northfleet.

A member of the public discovered the man’s body on May 16 on a small beach at a man-made jetty backing onto The Shore near Crete Hall Road.

He has been formally identified by police as a local man in his late 60s. Officers are trying to trace his next of kin.

Today (May 18), police have said they are not treating the death as suspicious and the case has been referred to the coroners.

News Shopper previously reported that police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and paramedics attended the scene on May 16 around 2.30pm.

However, despite attempts to revive the man by the RNLI and ambulance crews, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: “The lifeboat launched to a report of a person lying on the mud at Northfleet.

“On arrival the casualty was displaying no signs of life so CPR was commenced, including use of a defibrillator.

“A short while later paramedics arrived on scene, re-assessed the casualty and it was decided to cease CPR.

“The lifeboat then returned to station, leaving recovery of the casualty in the hands of the police and fire brigade.”

The man has been described as white, of a stocky build, about 5ft 9in to 5ft 10in tall, with medium length grey hair.

He was wearing a royal blue cotton shirt, a navy blue cardigan, a brown jacket, grey trousers and brown shoes when he was found.

Anyone who saw a pensioner matching this description should call police on 101 quoting reference number KP-20120516-0780.