A body believed to be missing university student Victor Ivanelo has been found underneath a railway arch near Surbiton station.

Kingston Police officers and teams from the British Transport Police (BTP) were called to Victoria Recreation Ground in Balaclava Road at about 1.30pm today.

A BTP spokesman said officers were examining the scene and are treating the death as unexplained.

A Surrey Police spokesman said the body was believed to be Victor Ivanelo, a 21-year-old University of Surrey student who was last seen leaving a friend's house in Esher more than a month ago.

His family have been informed of the discovery.

Surrey Comet:

Victor Ivanelo disappeared after leaving a friend's house in Esher more than a month ago on February 26 at 2am

The student's phone and bag were among belongings found along a bridleway by a horse rider in Chessington the day after he disappeared.

He was spotted on CCTV travelling to Claygate from Clapham Junction station the day before his disappearance on Saturday, February 25, but officers said not a "single sighting" of the student was reported.

Mr Ivanelo, who went to boarding school in the UK and was fluent in English, was wearing a three quarter length green puffa jacket, headphones and was carrying a bag when he was seen travelling to Claygate.

Surrey Comet:

Forensics teams examined the park where the body was found

When he left his friend's house in Esher on February 26, he had been wearing a grey formal jacket, blue jeans and smart shoes and was carrying a black over-the-shoulder Hugo Boss bag.

He was not wearing his glasses at the time.

Teams from Surrey Search and Rescue had been involved in the search along with police dogs, drones and helicopters.

His family resorted to hiring a private detective, Andy Kemp, a former police officer specialising in finding missing people.

Professor Jane Powell, vice-provost education and students at the University of Surrey, said: "Students are the very heart of our University. We’re greatly saddened by the discovery of a body believed to be that of Viktor Ivanelo.

"The University will be liaising with Viktor’s family to do all we can to support them at this distressing time."

Surrey Comet:

A solitary bouquet of daffodils were placed behind the grey iron fence where the body was found.