Lifeboat coxswain: "Suicide barriers are needed on the Humber Bridge"

Dave Roberts was speaking after the inshore lifeboat launched in the early hours of today to reports of a missing person, believed to be in the river.

The search and rescue helicopter based at Humberside Airport was also launched, but no one was found after a three-hour search.

The bridge board announced recently it is undertaking a feasibility study into increasing the height of the railings.

They have warned it is a huge engineering challenge, but will examine its practicality and cost.

It came after a campaign for safety measures by the parents of Will Shaw, 14, who jumped to his death from the Humber Bridge in 2014.

On September 4 a woman's body was recovered from the Humber after falling into the estuary. Although the woman was an amputee she was able to scale the railings.

Mr Roberts said: "They were out for three hours to a report of a person jumped off the bridge, but didn't find anything.

"They (the board) are reviewing the situation. I think they are going to have to do something now."

Mr Roberts has been with the lifeboat for 27 years, and attended countless incidents.

He said: "I think the bridge has been opened 36 years so it's about time something was done."