A HUGE search and rescue operation was mounted in Calstock this afternoon after police received reports of a person falling in the river at around 3.20pm.

Fire crews from Callington, Tavistock, Bere Alston, Plymouth and a water rescue team from St Austell assisted local police, British Transport Police, MOD police with boat launchers and police helicopters to search the River Tamar around Calstock Quay and Viaduct and the local riverbanks but no one was located.

Duty fire officer Mike Tremellan said the search was suspended due to light conditions and tidal conditions and police would make a further determination once the conditions improved.

The Tamar Inn became a centre for rescue crews this afternoon. Barman Chase Wood said there was a large amount of emergency personnel in the little village, the scale of which he had never seen before.

'As far as we know there were three of four people on the bridge and and it appears that one fell in. So far no-one has been found. This is a small community and we have not yet heard of anyone going missing.'