Police were investigating the mystery death of a British jogger found dead floating face down in a canal in Thailand.

Richard Wayne Moorcroft, 63, was seen fully-clothed in the shallow ditch in Pattaya on Sunday morning shortly after 7am local time.

Police and paramedics arrived to pull his body from the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Locals said ex-pat Richard, from Derby, went running most mornings. Food vendor Boonpluak Saengkaew, 60, said: 'The foreign man was friendly. I saw him every morning because he liked to jog. He often bought lunch from me.'

Officers are probing one theory that Richard was stretching on a bridge above the canal before stumbling and falling into the water.

Lieutenant Colonel Pongsawat Momungkhun from the Jomtien district police station said: 'We received notification of a foreigner floating in the canal which drains water into the sea.

'The water was about 50cm deep and the victim was identified as a British man, Richard Wayne Moorcroft, who was 63 years old.

'The corpse was lying face down in the water, wearing a green shirt, and brown shorts and blue sports shoes.

'A physical examination revealed no wounds or signs of murder or assault. It is estimated that he had died at least three hours. Officers examined the evidence and found a driver's license and ATM card.'

Police interviewed residents living nearby who check if anyone had seen Richard fall into the water but nobody reportedly witnessed the incident.

The body was sent to a police forensic hospital are they now waiting for a report from the post mortem examination.

Lieutenant Colonel Pongsawat said the British Embassy has been informed of the death.