Body of man found at RM Condor near Arbroath

• Body found at RM Condor on outskirts of Arbroath

• Death unrelated to disappearance of Marine Ralph Hebden, who is still missing

The body of the 35 year-old man, who has still to be named, was discovered at the 45 Commando base at RM Condor in Arbroath as a search was being mounted for a missing marine.

A spokesman for Tayside Police said the man’s body had been found shortly before midnight.

He said: “Tayside Police officers attended at RM Condor military base, following the discovery of a body of a 35 year-old man. Officers attended as part of an ongoing enquiry after a serving Marine had been reported missing from an address in Arbroath earlier that evening.

“Paramedics were also in attendance, but tragically the man was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The spokesman added: “His details will not be released until next of kin have been fully informed. There are no apparent suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident and as with all sudden deaths a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

A spokeswoman for the Royal Navy in Scotland said: “We can confirm that a member of 45 Commando was found dead last night. The next of kin have been informed and Tayside Police are taking the lead in the investigation.”

She stressed that the death of the Marine at RM Condor was not linked to the ongoing Tayside Police investigation into the disappearance of another Commando at RM Condor, 32 year-old Ralph Hebden, who was has now been missing for exactly two weeks.

The spokeswoman said: “The incident is unrelated to the disappearance of Marine Hebden.”

Marine Hebden, whose wife Sarah has now given birth to their first child, has been missing from the couple’s home in Arbroath since Monday, 11 March.

He vanished after setting out to go for a morning run near the steep cliffs on the outskirts of the Angus town. The Commando was last seen at a supermarket near the centre of the town and more than a mile from the Marine base.

Last week his anguished wife issued a poignant plea to her husband to come home. In a statement, released by Tayside Police, Mrs Hebden said: “Ralph, we are all missing you and are worried about you. Our baby is now due sooner than expected, please come home.’’

There has been no trace of Marine Hebden despite extensive searches of the Arbroath area and the Angus coastline. Tayside Police are also looking at the possibility that Marine Hebden, originally from Toxteth in Liverpool , may have travelled to the Merseyside area where he has friends and family, and are working closely with Merseyside Police who are assisting with their inquiries.

Marine Hebden is described as 6ft 4 inches tall, muscular build, with short cropped fair hair. When he was last seen he was wearing black trainers, dark blue or black jogging bottoms, blue fleece and had a blue rain jacket in his possession.