Ipswich man hunt drama

EMERGENCY services have this evening scoured the River Orwell in Ipswich after a member of the public spotted a man walking along the river bank.

EMERGENCY services have this evening scoured the River Orwell in Ipswich after a member of the public spotted a man walking along the river bank.

At about 7.50pm police received the call from a concerned member of the public who said they had seen a man who appeared to be drunk in the mud on the river bank near to The Station Hotel.

The fire service was alerted by officers and the specialist water rescue units were deployed to conduct a sweeping search of both river banks down and up river.

Firefighter Simon Hurst, station manager for Ipswich, said the tide was at its lowest point, so even shopping trolleys were visible.

“We were happy with the bank searches and so the RAF Sea King helicopter did a thermal image search from the new bridge right down to Stoke Park Bridge.

“We have not located anybody so they must have made it out unseen by anyone, the tide is at its lowest point we can see shopping trolleys.”

The RAF search and rescue helicopter landed in Gippeswyk Park after the incident, a spokesman at Wattisham said the crews were liaising with police.