A MAN who was pulled from the Thames on Tuesday morning has been identified.

Michael 'Mick' Hartnup, of Edenham Crescent, was retrieved from the water by fire crews shortly before 10am, but was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Police received reports of a man in the water at Reading Bridge, close to Thames Lido.

Mr Hartnup was last seen in Reading on Monday afternoon at the Turks Head pub on London Road, but emergency services have struggled to find his next of kin.

His death is currently being treated as unexplained and is not believed to be suspicious.

Investigating officer, detective constable Nathan Lampard, of Reading Force CID, said: "I would like to continue to appeal for information in relation to Mick and anyone who has seen him since the last sighting of him at the Turks Head public house on London Road, Reading at around 3.30pm on Monday (6/11).

"Despite our extensive enquiries, we have not yet been able to trace his next of kin and so a public appeal is now our only option. We need anyone who has details of his relatives to come forward to ensure that Mick can be laid to rest in a way he would have wanted.

"We received a positive response to our first appeal for information. Mick has been named locally and on social media and messages of condolence have been posted on his Facebook page."

Several fire crews were deployed in order to pull the unknown man from the water, but efforts to save his life were in vain.

A spokesman for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service added: "At 9.58am on Tuesday, November 7, Thames Valley Fire Control Service received a call from Thames Valley Police to reports of a person in the water at Reading Bridge in Caversham.

"Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Wokingham Road, Dee Road, the water rescue unit and boat from Caversham Road and the multi-role vehicle from Maidenhead were sent to the scene.

"Firefighters retrieved the body from the water and then handed the incident over to Thames Valley Police.

"Crews were on the scene for around an hour and a half."

The man’s death is not being linked to a separate incident in the same area shortly before 2.30am on Tuesday, in which another man entered the water.

He was issued with a penalty notice for wasting police time.