Police unsure how long man's body lay in bush

Police are unsure how long the body of Greymouth man Peter Bell lay in the Arthur's Pass bush where it was found late yesterday afternoon.

The 54-year-old partially deaf, well-known surfer and environmental campaigner was last seen on June 3, when he discharged himself from the Grey Base Hospital mental health unit, taking only his surfboard and bike.

On Sunday, his distinctive van was found hidden behind bushes off a side road at Klondyke Corner, and about 3.30pm yesterday searchers found his body only a few hundred metres away, on the south face of Mount Bealey, above Klondyke.

Friends had focused their searches on the Coast Road and other well-known surfing spots, but their hopes sank on Sunday when a family friend chanced upon Mr Bell's van in mountainous Arthur's Pass.

An Australian national, Mr Bell did not like the cold and usually wintered over in Western Australia with his mother.

Police conducted a small search of the Klondyke area on Monday, intensifying their efforts yesterday by bringing in 30 land search and rescue personnel, 10 police and four sniffer dogs.

Constable Scott Carmody, of Arthur's Pass police, said there were no suspicious circumstances and the death had been referred to the coroner.

Mr Bell's body was removed from the area last night and taken to Christchurch for a post-mortem.

Mr Carmody said that at this stage police were not sure how long the body had lain in the bush.

"It is very cold up there, which would keep the body well preserved, and until a pathologist report is completed we will not know."

Mr Bell was a veteran of the close-knit Greymouth surfing community and friends spent hours searching his favourite surfing spots.

Last night they were mourning their friend of 30 years.

In his time on the West Coast, Mr Bell was a keen photographer and was well known for tackling controversial issues head on.

In recent years he was a vocal opponent of plans for sand mining on Cobden beach, and also campaigned hard against the dumping of asbestos in the area.

- NZPA