A SEARCH was mounted after a swimmer was reported missing off the coast of Folkestone.

A passerby alerted the emergency services after seeing a man go into the sea near the former Rotunda site at about 6pm on Tuesday and did not return.

Dover Coastguard launched a full-scale search. Dover and Littlestone lifeboats were launched, an RAF rescue helicopter used infra red camera equipment and a police boat also joined the search.

Nothing was found and the search was called off at around 8.25pm.