The brother of a man who jumped off a Blackpool pier said he was mystified by the tragedy.

Terence McBride, 37, who was living in Blackpool, was spotted floating in the water 400 yards from the North Pier.

A full-scale sea rescue operation followed but failed to save him on Wednesday.

His brother Laurence McBride, 41, of St Mary's Avenue, Wyke, was due to identify the body yesterday.

Mr McBride described his brother, who moved to the coast from Bradford for a fresh start, as a "bit of a loner".

He said: "I really don't know the full circumstances and I still need to identify the body.

"A girl he was living with said she had seen the body but said it didn't look like him. But Blackpool police say they are sure it is.

"I really don't know what to think at the minute. It hasn't sunk in yet."

Mr McBride said he last saw his brother six weeks ago when he returned to Bradford for the funeral of their mother Maureen Rouse, 63, of Low Moor, who died from cancer.

"I think he could have been quite low because of that," he said.

"I don't know whether he was depressed."

Mr McBride's body was spotted by Grumbleweeds star Tony-Jo, who is set to open the summer season at the pier in July, at just after 4pm.

The coastguard, two Blackpool inshore lifeboats and the Lancashire police helicopter were called to the scene with an ambulance placed on standby.

A spokesman for Blackpool Police said Mr McBride, who was unemployed, was recovered by a lifeboat and taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital but pronounced dead at around 5.20pm.

It was believed he had jumped into the water from the pier but there were no suspicious circumstances.

An inquest was expected to be opened and adjourned today for further inquiries.