Specialist rescue teams spent more than four hours searching a derelict Second World War tunnel after reports people were trapped inside.

Police and the search team were called to Military Road at around 10.20am after a manhole cover at the abandoned end of the Ramsgate Tunnels had been lifted and concerns were raised someone may be inside.

Fire crews led the search to check if anyone had entered the site but it was found to be empty.

The entrance is the far end of the historic Ramsgate Tunnels and has been unused for a number of years.

At the other end is the iconic tourist attraction which showcases the vast tunnel system used to shelter 60,000 people during air raids in the Second World War.

Manager of the attraction Kane Guy said:”The tunnels where the emergency services are searching is a completely separate part of the tunnel system.

”It is the other end and there are collapsed walls and a sewer between us and that.

”It had been shut up ages ago and a lockable man-cover had been placed over it, but it doesn’t seem to be too secure.

”It’s definitely not the first time people have been in there.”