The family of a British man missing in Colombia have been told a body has been found in the search for him.

Anton Green from Manchester had been living in the South American country for two-and-a-half years, but stopped responding to messages in August.

Earlier, his family in Whalley Range were told that a body had been discovered, and that it was believed to be the 43-year-old.

They told the BBC that the news – which came just hours after they had renewed their appeal for help finding him – had devastated them and that they were “trying to come to terms with what’s happened”.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesman confirmed that the body of a British man had been found in Colombia.

Anton’s family had told the BBC that his failure to contact his family had been out of character.

His mother, Nylva McKie-Williams, had said his last words to her in August were “we will speak at the weekend”.

She told BBC North West Tonight he had kept in frequent touch with his family, and that it had been “so unlike him not to be in contact with us”.

Last month, footballer Marcus Rashhford got behind the appeal to find him, describing him as a “family friend”.

Anton’s brother Ro-Shaun Williams had been part of the Manchester United youth team alongside Rashford.

Anton’s sister Sian Tuohey described her brother as a “happy, decent guy” who had been living in Colombia for three years, having settled there while travelling.

He spoke fluent Spanish and, not long before contact was lost, had moved to the Fontibon area of the capital, Bogota.

The news of the discovery of a body was broken to the family by police in the early hours of Thursday, the BBC understands.

His relatives said they were now waiting on more information from the Attorney General’s Office in Bogota.

An FCDO spokesman said: “We are aware of the death of a British national in Colombia and are providing support to their family.”

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