Dover Coastguard is appealing for information about a swimmer reported missing in or around Dover Harbour yesterday evening.

The alarm was raised at 7pm when someone rang the Coastguard to say they had seen a swimmer heading out towards the harbour entrance, but had then disappeared from view.

Langdon Coastguard Rescue Team began a search of the shoreline while Dover Lifeboat crew joined the police boat Delta 99 and the harbour tug Dauntless in searching the harbour.

A rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham was scrambled and searched inside and outside the harbour, using its infra-red camera.

Dover Coastguard watch manager Tony Guy said: "We searched the area both inside and outside the harbour for three hours, but by 10pm we had saturated the area and had found no sign of the missing swimmer.

"The decision was therefore taken to terminate the search. The swimmer was last seen wearing a pink swimming hat and swimming out towards the harbour entrance."

Anyone who has any information about the possible whereabouts of the missing swimmer is asked to phone the Coastguard on 01304 210008.