The family of missing Belfast man John George, also known as John Hardy, have said his body has been found in Spain. Spanish police said a 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The PSNI have released a statement saying they were yesterday made aware that a body recovered in Spain is believed to be that of missing man John George.

A body has been found in Spain twenty four days after a West Belfast man was first reported missing. John George, also known as John Hardy, from the Twinbrook area, was reported missing after he missed his flight home from Alicante on December 18.

A “decomposing” body thought to be that of missing Belfast man John George, also known by the surname Hardy, has been found on the Costa Blanca and Spanish police have made an arrest

The family of a Belfast man, missing presumed murdered in Spain, say the authorities there have told them that they have recovered his body.

The discovery of a body in Spain believed to be that of John George ends an “extremely tortuous search process”, a statement issued on behalf of his family said. The 37-year-old west Belfast man had been holidaying in Alicante and was last in touch with his family on December 14.

John George, also known as John Hardy, was reported missing on December 18 after failing to catch a flight home from Spain where he had gone to visit friends three weeks earlier