POLICE divers are this morning (Friday, January 15) operating along a stretch of the River Tone in Taunton as they search for a missing man.

Members of the Avon and Somerset Police Underwater Search Unit are currently in French Weir Park, Taunton.

They have returned to the scene as part of an operation to locate Scott McCafferty, who has not been seen since Monday, January 4.

A previous search of the river in French Weir last Saturday was called off because of poor weather conditions.

The operation is "one of many lines of enquiry and search locations", police say.

A spokeswoman said: "This is standard practice when someone goes missing near a water course."

Mr McCafferty, aged 33, was last seen leaving the Tesco store in Castle Street at around 3.05pm on Saturday, January 2.

He is described as white, about 5ft 8in tall, slim, with mousey/brown short hair and a full red/brown beard.

He has a tattoo of a Phoenix on his left arm.

When he went missing he was wearing a brown jacket, grey T shirt, dark coloured jeans and dark coloured shoes.

Police believe he could be in the Taunton area, although he also has links with Exeter in Devon, and Cornwall and may have travelled there.

Police would like Mr McCafferty or anyone who knows his whereabouts to contact them on the force number 101, quoting reference 5216002322.