The bodies of a man and a woman have been recovered from a submerged car after a major search operation on the River Trent in Nottinghamshire.

Police dive teams located an object believed to be a vehicle on February 2, a day after a car with two passengers was reported to have been seen floating along the river at Hoveringham, between Newark and Nottingham.

Underwater recoveries of this nature are always very challenging, but our divers' work has been further complicated by the very fast-flowing water at the site

High river levels have since hampered efforts to recover the vehicle but two bodies were removed from the water at about 10.30am on Saturday after the car was located on the riverbed using sonar equipment.

No formal identification has yet taken place but family members have been informed by a family liaison officer.

Work, which is being supported by a tug boat from Newark, is under way to remove the car.

Inspector Tim Ringer, leading the recovery operation, said: “This has been a difficult and complex operation involving dozens of people from multiple agencies.

“Underwater recoveries of this nature are always very challenging, but our divers’ work has been further complicated by the very fast-flowing water at the site. It was simply not safe to attempt this work before today.

“Our thoughts remain with the family of the deceased who have asked for their privacy to be respected at what I know is an immensely difficult time.”

A file will now be prepared for the coroner.