Police officers were flown by helicopter to the bottom of a notorious suicide spot to try to identify a body.

It was at first thought the body at Beachy Head was that of a man reported missing after jumping off Brighton's Palace Pier.

Coastguards, police and lifeboat crews began searching on Wednesday night after drinkers in the pier's Victoria Bar said the man, described as white, in his late teens or early 20s and with black hair, leapt into the sea.

Officers at first thought the search was over when a man's body was seen at the bottom of the cliffs near Eastbourne at about 11am yesterday. But the search was restarted after it was discovered the body did not match the missing man's description.

The police helicopter was unable to land at the foot of the cliffs because it was too dangerous.

The two officers were winched back to the top of Beachy Head by the coastguard rescue team after the body had been retrieved.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said reports of a body washed up near Black Rock yesterday morning proved to be unfounded.

The last reported sighting of the missing man was between the two piers off Brighton. Rescuers were restarting their search this morning.

The body found at Beachy Head was that of a man aged between 40 and 45.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and his full identity will be released at a later date.

Officers are still trying to contact the relatives of a woman who is believed to have committed suicide when she walked into the sea at Southwick on Wednesday and drowned.