A body has been found following a search for a missing hillwalker in county Mayo.

The alarm was raised on Wednesday when the man -who is believed to be in his late 30's-failed to return home from a walking expedition on the Mweelrea Mountain, near Louisburgh.

Searches -involving the Mayo Mountain Rescue along with the Coastguard helicopter -have been carried out over the past number of days.

A body was recovered by rescuers earlier this evening and has been taken to Mayo General hospital where a post mortem examination will take place.