A MISSING fisherman whose body was found on the Scottish coast was from Burnley, police said.

Police in Scotland said the man, who has not yet been formally identified, was discovered missing from a boat off the coast of Dumfries and Galloway.

Officers said the fisherman's body was found on land near Cairnhead Farm, Isle of Whithorn.

Crews launched an emergency search shortly after 11.15pm on Wednesday after an abandoned boat was discovered close to a reef near the Isle of Whithorn.

A yacht reported seeing a boat matching the description earlier on Wednesday evening at about 7.30pm with one man on board.

Officers searched the vessel and nearby waters but were unable to find the man.

The overnight search involved a rescue helicopter from Prestwick, an HM Coastguard Rescue Team and a lifeboat from Kirkcudbright and Port William.

The search was called off after a man's body was discovered.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Officers said the death was being treated as unexplained.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Police Scotland report that the search for the man believed to be missing from a boat which was found off the Isle of Whithorn late on Wednesday evening has now been stood down.

"The body of a man has been located on land in the vicinity of Cairnhead Farm, Isle of Whithorn.

"The death is being treated as unexplained at this stage and inquiries are under way.

"The man was from Burnley."

A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it believed the man came from Lancashire and had launched his boat from a Land Rover from the harbour near the scene.

She said: "The search has been called off and the incident was now being dealt with by Police Scotland."

A spokesman for Port William Inshore Rescue Service said: "We were tasked by the Coastguard shortly before midnight to be involved in the search.

"Our own crew and the crew from Kirkcudbright RNLI were involved in the search, and were stood down at 7.30am."