POLICE divers are searching a stretch of freezing river for a part-time gamekeeper who has been missing for five days.

A major search of the area around Ripon, in North Yorkshire, has been made after local man Ian Simpkin vanished.

The 36-year-old was last seen at 10am on Sunday, January 3, when he left his home in Wath, near to Ripon, on foot.

North Yorkshire Police was joined by the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team, the RAF Mountain Rescue Team, an RAF helicopter and more than 20 volunteers.

A specialist West Yorkshire Police underwater team has searched the cold River Ure between West Tanfield and the A61, near to Ripon.

The divers also hunted for Mr Simpkin in the River Ure in the Ripon area between West Tanfield and Newby on January 7.

Inspector Steve Breen, of Ripon’s Police Safer Neighbourhood Team, is leading the search for the missing man.

He said: "The use of specialist underwater search teams is an important part of the enquiry to minimise the possibility of something being missed.

"In light of the current severe weather, I ask anyone who may have outbuildings that they have not entered in recent days to check that Mr Simpkin has not used them for shelter."

Mr Simpkin’s parents raised the alarm when he failed to return home on Sunday by 6.15pm despite the freezing weather.

He works as a part-time gamekeeper and he also has a job at a local scrapyard and he failed to keep a hospital appointment on Monday.

It is believed he left home without any money or bank cards and the police are concerned for his well being due to the cold.

Mr Simpkin is described as being 5ft 10in tall, stocky, with short blond hair and blue eyes.

He is thought to have left home in a green fleece top, blue jeans, a dark woollen hat and a pair of green Wellington boots.

Mr Simpkin’s family, of South View, Wath, were to distraught to comment on their son yesterday.

Anyone who can help trace Mr Simpkin is asked to contact the police on 0800-6060-247 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.