Emergency services were called to a town centre bridge after reports that a man was spotted in the water.

Rochester bridge was closed to pedestrians while a huge police, fire and ambulance operation took place.

They were assisted by Coastguard rescue teams from Sheppey and Medway, and an inshore lifeboat from Sheerness, while the coastguard helicopter from Lydd flew overhead.

A total of six fire engines were also sent to the area, alongside two specialist water safety units from Kent Fire and Rescue (KFRS).

The scare started just after 11am, but by 5.30pm the operation was called off after nothing was found.

A coastguard spokesman said: “We were part of a multi-agency response to an incident in the Rochester Bridge area yesterday, with Kent Police, Ambulance HART and Kent Fire and Rescue Service also in attendance.

“After an extensive search with nothing found, we ended the search at around 5.30pm.”

A KFRS spokeswoman said that the service’s involvement in the incident began at 11.10am and ended at 12.53pm.