A MAN missing for nearly a year has been found dead.

The body of 32-year-old Michael Murphy from Connah’s Quay was swept up on the coastline at West Kirby, Wirral.

An initial Home Office post-mortem examination carried out on the body, which was discovered at about 10.30am last Tuesday, proved inconclusive and a muscle test did not produce any of Mr Murphy’s DNA.

However, a subsequent test of bone DNA carried out in Oxford proved positive and it was confirmed last night that it was a match to Mr Murphy.

Mr Murphy’s mother, Ann, 57, from Mold, said last night: “We are all devastated. We loved Michael so much and you just hope and hope he would be found alive.”

Mrs Murphy, who is married to Julian Shirley, 60, said two officers from Merseyside Police, Judith Blease and Nick Suffield, and North Wales Police family liaison officer Steve Challinor visited her to inform her of the DNA findings, which confirmed her son’s death.

She said the police had been “fantastic” in their support of her and Mr Murphy’s brother, Jac, 23, a student at Loughborough University in Leicestershire, and his sister Joanna, 22, from Greenfield, Holywell.

Mrs Murphy said she and her husband were planning to move into Michael’s home near Wepre as a tribute to her son. She thanked “wonderful” Leader readers for all their support throughout 2012.

As news of the death became public last night, hundreds joined a newly created tribute group on Facebook.

More than 500 mourners had joined the ‘Gone But Not Forgotten Michael Murphy’ group by last night.