AN RAF engineer last night described diving into a river to try to rescue a man who fell to his death from the top of England's most powerful waterfall.

Stephen Powell spent ten minutes in the raging River Tees searching for the man who disappeared underwater after the 60ft fall at High Force, in Teesdale, County Durham, at about 6pm on Sunday.

But the 28-year-old airforce engineer was unable to find him and was convinced by several passers-by to leave the water before he put his own life in danger.

Mr Powell, of Heighington, near Darlington, and his girlfriend, Keri Stanyer, from Swindon, had seen two men and a woman admiring the view as they walked along the river.

Moments after they passed the group, they heard a scream and looked to see one of the men running towards them shouting "he's gone under".

Mr Powell grabbed a safety ring and jumped into the water while Miss Stanyer, 26, ran half a mile to get a mobile phone signal and called 999.

Mr Powell, who is stationed at RAF Kinloss, in Scotland, said: "Anyone would have tried to help.

"His mate could not swim and the victim's girlfriend just sat on a rock. She could not move, she was so scared.

"I was in the water within three minutes of the accident and because Keri is a paramedic, I felt he had a good chance of surviving if I could only find him.

"His mate was pointing to where he entered the water, so I kept putting my head underwater, but it was so dark I could not see a thing, I kept swimming around, but found nothing."

Mr Powell believes the man slipped over the side of the waterfall as he tried to reach a rock he wanted for his fish tank.

More than 30 members of the emergency services spent Sunday night searching for the man, thought to be in his 30s and from Jarrow, South Tyneside, without success.

They returned yesterday morning to resume their search after the outflow from Cow Green Reservoir, which is about six miles upriver, was closed to reduce the flow of water over the falls. The beauty spot was closed to the public, but the victim's girlfriend and family were nearby waiting for news.

At 10.15am yesterday, police divers recovered the man's body near the foot of High Force.