POLICE have said the death of a man who was missing in Coleraine over the Christmas period is not being treated as suspicious after a body was recovered.
Barry Freeman was last seen in the Circular Road/Strand Road area of the Co Derry town at around 7.40pm on Thursday December 22.
The 44-year-old had been wearing a Christmas jumper and a Santa bobble hat when last seen. Police launched an appeal for information on his whereabouts, and had urged drivers with dashcam footage who were in the Circular/Strand Road area to contact them.
Searches across the town were also carried out over Christmas by members of the Community Rescue Service (CRS) organisation.
A PSNI spokesperson said last night that police were no longer searching for Mr Freeman "following the recovery of a body in the Coleraine area" yesterday.
They added: "The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time."
Mr Freeman worked in the RightPrice homeware store in Coleraine, and in a statement posted to social media, a spokesperson for the company paid tribute to their colleague, saying they learned of his death "with deep sadness".
"Barry had been a valued member of our team since 1999 and will be missed by all the staff. He was not just our co-worker but our good friend as well," the spokesperson said.
"On behalf of all of us here at RightPrice, we offer Barry’s family and friends our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy at this difficult time. We would like to thank the PSNI and CRS for their tireless work over the last week."
Friends and loved ones of Mr Freeman had set up a Facebook page to provide updates on the search for him, and in a statement yesterday, a spokesperson for the Help Bring our Barry Home group said they were "devastated".
"We would ask you all to keep Barry’s friends and family in your prayers through the hard times that lie ahead," they wrote.