Mike McClennan: New Zealand police ‘believe’ they have found body of missing former St Helens coach

The news comes after son and former Leeds coach Brian McClennan had made an appeal

New Zealand police believe they have found the body of Mike McClennan (Getty)

The body of former St Helens coach Mike McClennan is believed to have been found by police in New Zealand.

The discovery comes after a six-day search for the 75-year-old, who had been suffering from advanced dementia before his disappearance from a care home.

Son Brian McClennan, a former Grand Final-winning coach with Leeds, had made an appeal for help before the announcement on Tuesday that New Zealand Police had found a body in dense bush north of Auckland.

A statement said: “Police searching for missing man Mike McClennan have this evening found the body of a man in dense bush near Hatfields Beach.

“While formal identification is yet to take place, Police believe it is Mr McClennan. The matter has been referred to the Coroner.”

McClennan was a popular figure in St Helens, having coached Saints from 1990-93 and guided them to the Challenge Cup final at Wembley in 1991 and a Premiership win in 1992-3.

PA Sport also contributed to this report