LIFEBOAT crews were called after a member of the public dialled 999 to alert them to a naked swimmer off the coast.
Volunteers of the Clacton RNLI lifeboat crew were paged at 2.35pm today after the emergency call from a lady walking along the River Colne.
A spokesman for the coastguard said: “The informant stated that she had seen an elderly gentleman strip naked leaving his clothes on the bank and then enter the river between Arlesford and Wivenhoe.”
The crew thoroughly searched the area with Clacton Coastguard mobile unit and police officers as well as the Clacton Atlantic 75 lifeboat.
When members of the search team returned to the female informant, at the spot where she saw the man enter the water. the clothes had gone and there was no sign of the swimmer.
Satisfied the man was not in trouble and had been for a quick dip, the search teams stood down at 3.36pm.
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