A SHORELINE search for an elderly man was carried out by Sidmouth Lifeboat crew and Beer coastguard team.

A SHORELINE search for an elderly man was carried out by Sidmouth Lifeboat crew and Beer coastguard team.

Police alerted them that a man was missing in the Sidmouth area and they joined the search, which took place at 11.05pm on Tuesday, December 23.

The area covered was from Big Picket rock to the west of Sidmouth and up to Weston Mouth in the east.

"After a thorough search of the area, using white para illuminants, nothing untoward was found," said Perry King from Sidmouth Lifeboat.

The lifeboat returned to base and was ready for service by 1.40am.

The four crewmen were Simon Sparrow, senior coxswain, Simon Priestley, Phil Shepperd and Mark Roden, with Dennis Hutchings driving the launch tractor.