Body found in sea at Whitstable named as Sheppey dad Steven Parratt

By jwalker1

A BODY found floating in the sea off Whitstable today has been identified as missing Sheppey father Steven Parratt.

Mr Parratt, 36, was last seen leaving his home in Merrick Road, Sheerness, at 9.30pm on Friday. A sea and air search involving police, coastguards and an RAF helicopter was launched when he did not return.

His body was discovered after noon by a member of the public near the Marine Hotel, Tankerton. It was wearing a wet suit which had been reported missing along with a kayak stolen from Sheerness beach on Saturday morning.

The kayak was owned by Londoner Graham King who was two days into a six-month charity trip around Britain.

The boat was found by fisherman near Herne Bay on Sunday.

Police cordonned off Tankerton beach before taking the body to Margate's Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital.