A sleepy Kent village on the outskirts of Canterbury is at the centre of a major search operation involving a Police helicopter and approx 50 search volunteers from the Lowlands search and rescue “KentSAR” following reports of a missing person being made to Kent Police earlier on Saturday.
Officers from Kent Police who are leading on the search operation called in a Police helicopter to carry out an overhead search of nearby Coviet woods closed to Barham village which is mostly rural near to the A2 between Canterbury and Dover.
A large command point has been set up outside the village hall near to the Post office.
One local resident who asked not to be named claimed that they hear cries for help down the side of his home earlier in the evening approx 8.30pm but is it not clear if this is related to the search operation. They also claimed to hear a loud bang.
A large number of Police vehicle and search and rescue ambulance remain in a holding area on Valley Road
Kent Police have been approached for a statement and comment on the major search operation
More to follow