River Trent search: Suspected vehicle found as two feared missing

BBC Emergency services search the River TrentBBC
Emergency services have been searching the area since Monday afternoon

Police searching the River Trent for a car with two people inside have found what they believe to be a vehicle.

A large-scale search has been ongoing since Monday after witnesses in Hoveringham, Nottinghamshire, saw a car floating in the river.

Officers said they had located an "object in the water", but despite several attempts could not reach it due to the "treacherous conditions".

Police, fire crews and the ambulance service are involved in the search.

Relatives of the two people thought to have been inside the car are being supported by officers, said Nottinghamshire Police.

Insp Heather Sutton
Police gave an update close to where the vehicle went into the water

Emergency services were called to Hoveringham at about 16:15 GMT on Monday.

Insp Heather Sutton said witnesses reported the vehicle coming off Hoveringham Road and going into the river.

"Sadly, a witness reported that two occupants were in the car at the time it entered the river.

"While no formal identification has taken place we do believe we know who those people are."

River Trent
Police boats were seen on the River Trent on Tuesday

Eyewitness Christopher Bulpitt said he saw the car drifting along the river from his home.

He said: "I sat sitting having tea in our conservatory and this blue car floated down the river. The bonnet was down into the water, the back was sticking up a bit and it looked like two people inside."

Mr Bulpitt's wife Pauline added: "It was quite shocking. My husband rushed to get his Wellington boots, hoping the car would come into the bank further up and we might be able to do something to help.

"There was another gentleman running down the field to see if he could do something to help but the car carried on down."

Search operation in Bleasby on Monday night
The search operation moved to Bleasby on Monday evening

On Monday evening, emergency services were also searching the Bleasby area, about half a mile from Hoveringham.

The operation was called off overnight, but on Tuesday it continued near Hazelford at Gibsmere, close to Bleasby, where an underwater search unit used sonar to try to locate the car.

In September 2019, teacher Emma Fegan died when her car went into the Trent in the same area of Hoveringham.

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