Couple feared to be missing in Bristol Channel

A major search operation was launched in the Bristol Channel after a woman called 999 saying she had gone into the water to save her drowning husband.

Her phone then cut out, which prompted a four-hour search operation.

The incident happend near Brean Down, between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea at around 10pm last night (24 July).

After not finding any evidence or sightings, the search was called off at 2am this morning (25 July).

Burnham Coastguard Rescue Team is asking anyone who witnessed the incident, or the couple themselves, to get in contact. In a statement, the Coastguard said: "On arrival at the reported location, we quickly checked the initial area for any signs of persons, either in the water, on the shore, or nearby, looking wet and distressed.

"While this was going on, lifeboats from RNLI Weston Lifeboat Station and Barry Dock RNLI and the Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 187 were being given search patterns that are created by the team in the MRCC.

"A foot team did a hasty shoreline search looking for footprints and any physical evidence of people in the area.

"Our Coastguard teams expanded the search to Burnham and one of the BARB Hovercraft were diverted to cover that section also.

"This is the second large-scale search in two days: this one including more assets due to the nature of the call. We hope that the people concerned were able to get out of the water and have returned home safely.”If you have an emergency at the coast dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.