A MAN'S body was found in the undergrowth of a Poole beauty spot at the weekend.

Dorset Police was called to Upton Country Park at around 12pm on Saturday after members of the public made the grim discovery.

Officers sealed off the busy attraction’s new car park, located off Poole Road, with several police vehicles in attendance, including an armed unit.

A small area of shrubbery near the car park, where the body lay, was taped off and visitors were turned away as the authorities waited for undertakers to arrive.

Dorset Police later confirmed the armed unit was on the scene due to it being close by at the time of the call, not because of the nature of the incident.

A force spokesman said: “Police were alerted to a body in the undergrowth in the grounds of Upton Country Park by members of the public – and officers secured the area.

“The body was that of a middle-aged local man and at this time the death is not being treated as suspicious.”

The spokesman said that the man’s next of kin have been informed.

Speaking later in the afternoon to address residents potentially concerned by the discovery, Inspector Stuart Pitman said: “I would like to reassure the community and the many dog walkers in the area that there is nothing to worry about.”

Cllr Fred Drane, who lives nearby, said he saw three ambulances at the scene when he arrived in the afternoon.

“This is a quiet area so it is a shock,” he said.

“It is an area where a lot of people go to walk their dogs. A number of people were already parked there for the day when the body was found."

He added that he had spoken to residents who had been left saddened at news of the death.

Emergency services left the scene at around 1.45pm.