Police have confirmed that a body found in a churchyard is that of Peter Reeve, the gunman suspected of killing an off-duty officer.

The body was found in Writtle, near Chelmsford in Essex.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Police confimed that the hunt for the gunman was over, and that his body was found with a weapon.

A manhunt to find Mr Reeve was launched after PC Ian Dibell was shot dead and a member of the public sustained leg injuries during a dispute in Redbridge Road in Clacton at around 3.40pm on Monday.

Police released a photograph of the 64-year-old suspect and vowed to "not rest" until he was captured and taken into custody.

Essex Police Chief Constable Jim Barker-McCardle described PC Dibell as a "brave, respected and experienced neighbourhood officer" and said early indications were that he lost his life after deliberately intervening in an "extremely deadly situation".

He would not reveal the finer details of the altercation, but reports suggest the off-duty officer had challenged the gunman who was chasing a man and woman along Redbridge Road, where it is believed the dead policeman lived.