Man missing in River Aire in Leeds named

Police have confirmed the identity of a man who is missing after falling into the River Aire in the early hours of Boxing Day.
By Sam Casey
Published 29th Dec 2015, 14:18 BST
The man is thought to have fallen into the River Aire while climbing over a bridgeThe man is thought to have fallen into the River Aire while climbing over a bridge
The man is thought to have fallen into the River Aire while climbing over a bridge

Underwater search teams and a police helicopter were today continuing to look for Matthew Thompson, who has not been seen since he slipped from a bridge at Granary Wharf at about 1.20am.

Mr Thompson, 32, is thought to have been sleeping rough before the incident. He is believed to have been climbing over the bridge near the railway station when he lost his footing.

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His disappearance came hours before the river swelled to its highest ever level, causing flooding in the city centre.

British Transport Police have been leading the investigation, along with West Yorkshire Police and the fire and rescue service.

A BTP spokesman said: “Specialist underwater search teams are continuing to search the river, assisted by the National Police Air Service.”