A missing 63-year-old vulnerable woman from Lowestoft has been found safe and well.

East Anglian Daily Times: Officers are concerned for the welfare of Stephanie Parker from Lowestoft Picture: SUFFOLK CONSTABULARYOfficers are concerned for the welfare of Stephanie Parker from Lowestoft Picture: SUFFOLK CONSTABULARY (Image: Archant)

It comes after a coastal rescue operation was called off following an intense search for Stephanie Parker who was last seen at her home address at 11:30am yesterday and reported as missing to police. She was located in Norwich this afternoon.

A spokesperson for Suffolk police said that police dogs tracking Stephanie had led search teams to a point near the shoreline and a rescue operation was started.

A lifeboat was launched from Lowestoft RNLI station at roughly 5.45am today, but nothing was found. The coastguard teams were stood down at around 8am, while the lifeboat also returned to station.

A coastguard spokesman said: “Lowestoft and Gorleston coastguard rescue teams were out this morning searching around Lowestoft and Southwold seafronts for a missing person.

East Anglian Daily Times: A search was carried out off the coast of Lowestoft for missing woman Stephanie Parker Picture: MICK HOWESA search was carried out off the coast of Lowestoft for missing woman Stephanie Parker Picture: MICK HOWES (Image: Archant)

“However, nothing was found and the search was called off at 8am. Coastguard teams are not actively searching at this time and the matter has been passed back to Suffolk police.”

Lifeboat coxswain, John Fox, added: “We were sent to check the rock armour sea defences north of the harbour entrance in the hunt for a missing woman. We were told that a sniffer dog had tracked a scent to the sea wall at the end of Hamilton Road near to the entrance to SLP.

“The police and coastguard rescue teams had checked the inland side of the rocks and we searched along the seaward side.

“After not finding anything we were than asked to conduct a shoreline search along the coastline as far south as Covehithe. With nothing found there, we finally searched around the Hamilton Dock area before being stood down and returning to our mooring.”

The volunteers at Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue (SULSAR) also worked to assist the emergency services with their search.