THE search was resuming today for a missing man who is feared to have been swept out to sea while fishing on the County Durham coast.

Keen angler George Derbyshire, of Blackhall, County Durham, has not been seen for two days after telling his wife he was going fishing, on Tuesday morning.

Sixty-one-year-old Mr Derbyshire, who works as a security officer for Peterlee digger and excavation maker Komatsu, was reported missing by his wife Rose late on Tuesday when he failed to return home.

He had promised to be home by 3pm on Tuesday having been fishing in either Blackhall or slightly further up the coast near Horden.

Search and rescue teams and both the police and RAF helicopters scoured the Durham coastline yesterday, but found no trace of Mr Derbyshire.

It is thought Mr Derbyshire, who was wearing a green body warmer over a green camouflage jacket, a Russian-style furry hat with ear covers, and blue jeans, had gone fishing from one of his regular local favoured spots on local beaches.

Mr Derbyshire has never previously gone missing and police said he was in a good state of health.

A Durham force spokesman said officers were concentrating today's search on the beach and coastal caves in the Grants Houses area, between Horden and Easington Colliery.

The North-East air support unit police helicopter flew along Horden and Blackhall beaches and Coastguard volunteers searched cliff-tops in the area yesterday.

An RAF Sea King helicopter and the Teesdale and Weardale Search and Rescue were also involved in the search, without success.

Inspector Tony Myers, the neighbourhood inspector for the Peterlee area who oversaw yesterday's search, said despite all the efforts there has been no trace of Mr Derbyshire so far, either on land or in the sea.

He said: "We're obviously extremely concerned for George's welfare.

"At this stage we have to keep an open mind on what may have happened, but an obvious fear is that he may have been swept out to sea.

"In the meantime, we will keep searching."

Police took Coastguard advice before resuming the search in difficult conditions late this morning.