AN INVESTIGATION is under way after a roofing contractor found the body of a man at the top of the main sports centre in Lowestoft.

AN INVESTIGATION is under way today after a roofing contractor found the body of a man at the top of the main sports centre in Lowestoft.

Police have not revealed the identity of the dead man, but he is believed to be a 64-year-old Lowestoft resident who was reported missing on Sunday afternoon.

The body was found just before 10am on Monday on the roof of the Waveney District Council-run Water Lane Sports Centre and a police spokesman said: “The death is currently being treated as unexplained, however there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances at this time. The coroner is being informed.”

The missing man was last seen on Sunday morning and his disappearance was reported to police at about 5pm on the same day.

It is also understood that a Jack Russell dog found tethered at the back of the centre at 9am on Sunday morning belonged to the man, although officers were unable to confirm the link until yesterday.

The building, formerly known as the Waveney Sports Centre, stayed open on Monday but the workman who made the grim discovery was said to be upset and took several hours off before returning to work.

A spokesman for Waveney District Council said: “Centre staff looked after the contractor, who was obviously upset after the incident. We are all saddened and shocked by the discovery. We are co-operating fully with the police in their investigation.”

Police officers are currently investigating how and why the man was on the roof, which has also baffled staff at the sports centre.

Simon Bellamy, Waveney's service manager for sports centres and swimming pools, said: “It was a bit of a shock. We can't see any rhyme or reason for anybody to be up there and we are baffled; it's a significant height.

“It was a good job we had contractors up there otherwise I don't know when he would have been discovered.”

The centre's flat roof is being replaced and it is believed the man got to the area above the main sports hall after climbing up scaffolding used by contractors. Firefighters were called to retrieve the body.