Body found in river swimmer search

A man has drowned during an attempt to swim across the River Thames.

Specialist search and rescue teams, including police divers and the Thames Valley Police helicopter, were launched after a member of the public reported seeing the man getting into difficulties at Friars Wharf, Oxford.

Oxfordshire fire crews and the Enironment Agency were also involved in the search for the unamed swimmer, believed to be in his 30s and from Oxford.

Divers found a body two hours later at about 1720 BST on Saturday, near to where the man was last seen.

The area was sealed off to allow the body to be recovered.

A Thames valley Police spokesman said a formal idetification was likely to take place on Sunday.