A SPECIALIST underwater search team has been drafted in to help in the search for a man who has been missing for four days.

A team from West Yorkshire Police will carry out a search of the River Ure in the hunt for Ian Simpkin, 36, from Wath, near Ripon.

Mr Simpkin has been missing since Sunday morning when he left his house alone on foot.

Extensive searches have been carried out by police and mountain rescue teams, as well as more than 20 local volunteers, in the village and surrounding area.

The underwater search team will concentrate this afternoon on a stretch of the River Ure between East Tanfield and the A61, near Ripon.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed that no land based searches will be carried out today.

Mr Simpkin is 5ft 10in, stocky, with short blond hair and blue eyes. It is believed he was wearing a green fleece top, blue jeans, a dark woollen hat and green Wellington boots.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 0845-60-60-247.