Man feared dead after canal plunge

The man fell into the canal

A man is believed to have drowned after falling into a canal.

Police divers and firefighters in boats are searching the Sharpness Canal in Gloucestershire for the man, but hopes of finding him alive are fading.

It is thought he may have suffered a heart attack, causing him to lose his balance and tumble off his boat into the water.

Officers were called to the canal at Sellers Bridge, Hardwicke, just after 1100 BST on Monday.

Bridge closed

A member of staff at the nearby Pilot Inn said: "They have closed the bridge over the canal during the rescue operation and there are fire engines and ambulances on it.

"We have heard that a man fell off his boat which was moored close to here and is feared drowned.

"We have seen frogmen going into the water a short time ago to look for the man."

Gloucestershire Police and the county's ambulance service both confirmed that the operation is ongoing and the man has not yet been located.

One of the firefighters at the scene said "We understand the man may have had a heart attack or similar collapse while standing on his boat and then fell in."