Post mortems are being carried out on the bodies of a father and daughter found in West Cork overnight. A major search operation was launched after the alarm was raised following a call to Gardaí from a farm in Ballydehob shortly before midnight.

The bodies were recovered on the beach and from the water a short time later.

Gardai were called to the farm at Foilnamuck late last night when the 53-year-old man and his young daughter were reported missing.

Officers carried out a search of the farmland and surrounding area and Valencia coastguard was called in to search the coastline.

The body of the 3-year-old girl was found on a nearby beach at around 2am while her father was found in shallow water nearby.

Detectives are trying to establish how they died. Gardai have not ruled out foul play.

However it is understood they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.