The brother of the York man whose body was found washed up on a beach in Norfolk today told of his family's anguish.

John Shipley, 32, of Main Street, Huby, fell overboard from a North Sea ferry three weeks ago.

A search-and-rescue mission combed the coast but failed to find him, and it has been an agonising wait the for news that finally came yesterday.

Speaking from Hong Kong where he owns a magazine publishing business, Michael Shipley, 36, said the discovery of the body had brought mixed emotions.

"We are glad that the waiting is over, but there was always a glimmer of hope as he was such a strong swimmer," he said.

"I knew in my heart of hearts that the worst had probably happened, but it was still not real until the police said they had found him."

John was returning from a tour of Europe with his parents, Keith and Sonia, when tragedy struck.

He had last been seen at about midnight, five hours into the 13-hour voyage from Rotterdam to Hull.

His parents contacted the purser at breakfast-time to say their son was missing from their cabin on the 1,150-berth P&O ferry.

An intensive search of the ship failed to find him, and helicopters and coastguard ships were asked to comb the area. But the six-hour search also proved fruitless, and was called off.

Three weeks passed with no news of John, who was a professional water-ski instructor and had been planning to set up his own business.

Then, at about 7.30am on Monday, a body was found by a person walking a dog on Caister Beach in Norfolk.

Michael said the loss of his younger brother had left a big hole in his life. "We were always together or speaking to each other on the phone," he said.

"We used to go surfing and water skiing together, and we were planning to go on holiday together this Christmas."

He said his brother had been a caring and thoughtful man.

The family is to hold the funeral next week at a date yet to be set.

A Humberside Police spokeswoman said a post mortem would be carried out today in Hull.

She confirmed that the death was not being treated as suspicious.

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