A rescue operation was launched this afternoon after a suspected suicide note was found.

Police and search and rescue teams were scrambled after a beach cleaner found the note in Dymchurch.

Littlestone's lifeboat along with the coastguard helicopter from Lydd and shore teams were sent to scour the beach in St Mary's Bay for a missing woman.

An extensive search is being carried out along the beach but the lifeboat was stood down and returned back to station at 2.30pm.

A spokesman for Littlestone RNLI said: "We were launched at 12.11pm and there was shore land coastguard teams from Folkestone to look for a missing person in the water off Dymchurch.

"The information came from the beach cleaner who picked up a piece of paper that looked like a suicide note.

"The rescue helicopter from Lydd was launched and have ways of scanning the beach.

"But nothing was found and we did an extensive search of the beach."

A police spokesman said officers are still searching the area.

Police earlier said they were called after "concerns for the welfare" of a woman in the High Street shortly before midday.