A man found dead on a beach in south Down on Friday has been named locally as Warrenpoint postal worker Robin Cumming.
Police had appealed for help in identifying the body found on the beach on the Rostrevor Road in Warrenpoint early on Thursday morning.
They received a report of a sudden death but said it was not suspicious.
Independent councillor Mark Gibbons went to the beach following the report an unidentified body had been found, only to find out later it was a work colleague.
“I was down on the site, on the beach, that morning and at that stage the body was not identified. And the awful twist of fate is that he was a colleague of mine and all those who work in Warrenpoint Post Office,” Mr Gibbons said.
“We are all heartbroken and shook up...and we are obviously sending condolences to family and friends of Robbie.”
Mr Gibbons added: “Robbie worked with us for a number of years. He was a very well liked, well respected man...he was a very popular guy and he was a great help to me when I started in the post office a number of years ago, huge respect for him and we are just in shock at the post office.”
“We are not treating this death as suspicious but it is important that we can inform the man’s loved ones of his passing,” the PSNI said prior to his identification.
A family notice described Mr Cumming as “partner of Jacinta, dear brother of Gregory and Gary, sister-in-law of Barbara, much-loved uncle of Wil, Anna, Poppy and Connie and beloved son of the late Jimmy and Mary Cumming.”
A funeral service will take place on Tuesday at Warrenpoint Parish Church followed by private cremation.
