Search scaled down for yachtsman

Rescue crews have scaled down their search for a man who disappeared while swimming in a river in Cornwall.

Coastguards in Falmouth confirmed they had scaled back their search for 36 year old Kristian Selman who was last seen in the Helford River shortly after 6.30pm on Wednesday.

It's believed Mr Selman, who police say lived on a boat in the area, had been swimming in the Helford area at the time of the incident.

Falmouth Coastguard watch officer, Neil Oliver, said: "The search has been scaled down."

At the height of the rescue on Wednesday night, Falmouth Coastguard said three rescue teams, two lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter had been called upon to search a three mile stretch of the river.

The search was stood down at 9.30pm, with a smaller scale operation involving police resuming at dawn on Thursday.

Coastguards said a member of the public raised the alarm at 6.41pm on Wednesday to report a man in the water 200 metres off Grebe Beach.

Other members of the public at the scene reported seeing him in the water swimming towards a dinghy which was later found at the mouth of the Helford.