A MAN'S body was pulled from the River Ouse close to a road bridge in the centre of York.

Police and fire services attended the scene at Ouse Bridge near Yates's Wine Lodge after a member of the public phoned to say they had seen a body in the water.

The bridge walkways were sealed off for over two hours while police divers took to the river in a dinghy.

They retrieved the body from the water and brought it out on Queen's Staith.

The road remained open throughout although all river boat traffic was stopped while the operation was carried out.

The body was found at about 9am yesterday.

A woman from Durham on a weekend break said she had seen a group of three men in their 30s on a stag night dressed in Mexican costumes.

She said: "They were all messing about outside Yates's and there were some clothes like those they were wearing in the water and also on the opposite bank."

Jamie Carr, Yates's manager said there had been no trouble at the pub on Saturday night and he wasn't aware of any incidents outside the main entrance.

York police would not confirm if they were treating the death as suspicious.

But a spokesman said inquiries were on-going to try and identify the man and the cause of death.

He urged anyone with any information to come forward.

In March, the Evening Press reported that a man was arrested after threatening to jump off a ledge on Ouse Bridge.

Police kept the road open throughout and shoppers were told to use the footpath on the other side of the bridge.

Bystanders watched as the man finally climbed back over the parapet where he was arrested and taken to York police station.

Detective Inspector Alan Carey, from York CID, was called to the scene to help talk the man down.

He said: "In the end he got down safely which is a huge relief to everyone concerned, including the man's friends and family.

"The man appeared to have some problems and I hope he can now get the help he needs to sort things out."

Updated: 10:35 Monday, August 22, 2005