Body recovered from Whanganui River

Police recovered a body from the Whanganui River about 11.30am today, a few hundred metres upstream from the Aramoho Rowing Club.

No details are yet available about the identity of the person or circumstances of the body being in the river.

A nearby resident said a man walking his dog alerted police after discovering the body about 10.15am.

"At first the guy thought it was a sheep or something in the river but his dog was going berserk and then he realised it was a person and called the boys in blue."

Police remained on the scene early afternoon on Tuesday with Whanganui iwi present to place a rahui on the river.

"Police are currently working with the family of the deceased on this tragic day," a police spokeswoman said.

The death will be referred to the coroner.