Tragedy as two bodies pulled out from river

TWO men drowned in the River Avon near Bath yesterday in the latest tragedy to hit the region’s waters.

Shortly after 4pm emergency services were called to the river at Toll Bridge Road in Batheaston.

Firefighters from Avon Fire and Rescue Service led a rescue operation and pulled the men from the water, however ambulance service personnel pronounced them dead at the scene.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: “We are not treating the circumstances around the deaths as suspicious at this time. The deaths will be referred to the coroner.”

Yesterday’s tragedy followed two people drowning at sea in Cornwall over the weekend.

Separate incidents happened near Wadebridge and Padstow as thousands of people flocked to the coast during sweltering conditions.

And as the Western Daily Press went to print last night a major search continued off Portland in Dorset for 17-year-old Oscar Montgomery, who went missing while snorkelling.

Chief Inspector Lance Cliff, of Dorset Police, said: “We are extremely concerned for Oscar and I am appealing to anyone who may have knowledge as to his whereabouts to please contact police immediately.

“I would be keen to hear from anyone who was out in the water in the area at the time.”

Emergency services staff and volunteers from Portland Coastguard, the RNLI, Royal Navy ships and a helicopter, plus Dorset Police, were involved in the search.