A BODY has been found by forestry brigade workers that is thought to be of a young man who went missing on December 19.

Emergency services report that the corpse was found in a crack in the ground in La Pedriza (Madrid) in an area between the Pico del Yelmo and the village of Manzanares El Real.

They believe it could be José Carlos Marcos, 30, who was reported missing at the end of last year.

However, as yet, the body is too decomposed to be able to tell whether it is of a male or a female.

The mayor of Manzanares El Real says the search party, comprising 150 members of the police, fire brigade, mountaineers, volunteers and forestry workers, was sent out after the remains of a pair of trousers were found three weeks ago in the area.

José Carlos last spoke to his family on December 19, when he arranged to spend Christmas Eve with them, but he did not turn up, nor was he at work the following Monday.

Upon searching his house, his parents found that his mountain boots, which he nearly always wore, were not in his wardrobe.

Their son is employed in IT in a company in Madrid, and is also a student of the Naval School.

Search parties have as yet failed to reveal any trace of him.