A FORMER Bolton Evening News reporter has been found dead in the sea off the Cornish coast.

Andrew Hunter, formerly of Farnworth and a former district reporter in the Atherton area, was part of a Scottish scalloper crew fishing off Penzance.

Mr Hunter, aged 43 and married, worked as a freelance reporter in Oban but was a member of the 'Western Belle' crew fishing off Newlyn.

His body was found in the harbour by harbourmaster Andrew Munson who alerted police.

A police spokesman said Mr Hunter had been drinking with friends in a local pub the previous evening.

"We are awaiting the result of a post mortem examination but at this stage the death does not appear to be suspicious."

After working for the BEN and the Leigh, Tyldesley and Atherton Journal, Mr Hunter worked for a short time on the Catholic Universe newspaper.