Body found in rubble of collapsed building

Fire officers fighting against time to rescue a man trapped under the rubble of a building, have discovered a body.

Fire officers fighting against time to rescue a man trapped under the rubble of a building, have discovered a body.

The family of the man, who had watched in anguish as the firemen conducted a painstaking search of the building in Bootle, Merseyside, were led away in tears by police officers.

A total of 40 firefighters had searched since 10am for the man, a contractor who had been working on the two three-storey buildings when they collapsed.

Three other contractors were rescued earlier today.

Tonight, fire and police officers who had never given up hope of finding the fourth man alive began the disheartening task of removing his body.

Mike Harris, of Merseyside fire brigade, said: "Obviously until that moment we were searching for someone we hoped was alive but unfortunately we found a body."