Emergency services confirm nobody was found during Wigan canal search

A major operation was launched shortly before 7.30pm yesterday, Friday October 23, after a member of the public reported seeing a man standing on "the wrong side" of the railings on the Scot Lane bridge over the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

Fire crews and police officers raced to the scene and began a huge search operation.

A technical support unit was also at the scene, and a thermal imaging drone was also deployed to help find anyone who might have entered the water.

An eyewitness at the scene told Wigan Today that police officers were conducting door-to-door enquiries in the area.

However, the search was called off after several hours when nobody was found in the water, and it was later established that the man has climbed back over the rails and walked away from the scene.

Wigan fire station watch manager Ryder explained: "There was a gentleman seen on the wrong side of the railings over the canal next to the River Douglas.

"We had full fire service and police attendance there. We searched the water using our water rescue crew, and we had an air unit searching the area, but we found nothing.

"It turned out, as we were leaving, that a passer-by said they had seen him walking away. We conducted a full search, believing he may have entered the water, but it turned out to be false alarm in the end. Following an extensive search, it turned out he had jumped back over the railings and walked home."

He added: "[The search] took significant resources. Everybody was there in the end but, thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm."