Body found on route of missing tramper

A body has been found that may be missing British tramper Andrew Wyatt.

Search and rescue teams looking for a British tramper have found a body at the bottom of a 100m cliff.

The body, which last night had still to be formally identified, was discovered below a bluff on Andrew Wyatt's intended route in the Nelson Lakes National Park.

The 41-year-old was walking the Te Araroa Trail, which links tramping routes from Cape Reinga to Bluff, but had not been seen since December 15 when he left Blue Lake Hut.

The alarm was raised when he did not arrive at the Boyle Village to pick up food, but the search was hindered in recent days by bad weather.

Teams of expert alpine searchers, including a dog team, were yesterday flown into the park by helicopter to begin a ground search for Mr Wyatt, who was not carrying a beacon.

Senior Constable David Cogger had earlier said searchers had been hampered by Mr Wyatt's failure to fill in logbooks at Department of Conservation huts, "so we've got no real starting point".

Mr Wyatt had a back country pass, which meant he could have stayed in any of the huts free, so there was no reason not to fill in the books.

Police were also unable to trace his banking records because of the public holidays in Britain.

The location of the body was below the Lake Constance Bluff, a 100m cliff, which was on Mr Wyatt's intended route between Blue Lake Hut and Waiau Pass.

He arrived in New Zealand on November 21 to hike the Te Araroa trail and last spoke to his parents, who live in Cornwall, on December 12.

Mr Cogger said he was in daily contact with Mr Wyatt's parents, who had been extremely concerned for their son's welfare. British police were providing support for the family.