AN EXTENSIVE search of the Bovey Valley on Thursday evening failed to trace a man whose car was abandoned at the headquarters of Dartmoor National Park Authority.

The alarm was raised at approximately 3pm when the vehicle's keys and a note were handed to staff at Parke, Bovey Tracey.

More than 20 members from the Ashburton Division of the Dartmoor Rescue Group scoured the River Bovey up to Lustleigh Cleave. Police officers checked pubs and cafes and an RAF search and rescue team from RMB Chivenor combed the area in a Sea King helicopter using infrared cameras.

The missing man has been named as 56-year-old Stephen Kerr, from Ivybridge. He was last seen at 12.40pm and was wearing a black jacket and dark trousers. He has short grey hair.

Police said they were concerned for his welfare and made an appeal for witnesses.

Among those taking part in the seven-hour operation was Bovey Tracey deputy mayor Cllr Tony Evans, a volunteer with the Dartmoor Rescue Group.

'We were called out at 3pm and the majority of my team were on site around 4pm, there were 22 of us in total plus the police and the RAF search crew,' he said. 'The helicopter landed in Mill Marsh Park before sweeping its way up to Lustleigh Cleave then back down to Bovey and the A38 as there were some weirs the police wanted checking.

'My team of four searched the 4km stretch between Hole Bridge and Hisley Woods Bridge. The river was in spate and potentially very dangerous.

'I had two guys wearing personal flotation equipment searching the water with another man 20m behind carrying a floatline.

'That's a rope with a bag attached which he could throw should one of them fall in to grab hold of. 'Although it was dark the conditions, what with the kit we we wearing, were very warm and we had to stop at one point to allow the crew to cool down.

'The adrenalin was was also pumping and it can give you a real buzz to think you might be able to help find someone.

'Sadly we found no trace of this man and the search was called off at about 10.30pm.' The operation resumed this morning (January 4).

Anyone with information about Mr Kerr's whereabouts is asked to contact the police quoting reference 286 of January 3.