Hunt for missing man last seen in Thames after ‘disturbance at luxury hotel’
Pals watched him fall into the water following an earlier disturbance at Beaumont Estate hotel
POLICE were today hunting for a missing man who it’s feared drowned in the River Thames last night after a row at a luxury hotel.
Friends who followed him from the plush Beaumont Estate hotel saw him fall into the river about half a mile away.
Today the 400 bedroomed guesthouse in Old Windsor, Berks was at the centre of major police investigation into the disappearance of the youth, aged in his 20s.
Detectives were at the lavish hotel questioning staff about what happened in the run up to the incident involving a group of friends.
Managers at the hotel, which is the venue for high profile weddings and major conferences, confirmed that they were "helping police with their inquiries".
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But bosses refused to elaborate or to confirm whether the drowned man was a guest at the hotel.
Other staff said that they had been warned to say nothing about the incident.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police also refused to reveal details of the disturbance but said that the search of the nearby River Thames started as a result of a "fear for welfare" of a person.
The investigation which involved plain-clothed detectives as well as uniformed police, appeared to centre on the hotel where a world trade conference was taking place today.
It was unclear whether the drowned man had fled from the hotel as a result of the disturbance and the police being called or had been upset and was running away when he plunged into the murky River Thames.
Fire crews from Berkshire and Surrey were called to the scene which is on the border of Old Windsor and Runnymede.
Two specialist fire boats were launched in the darkness to search for the missing man who had been seen entering the water.
The police spokesman said: "Officers were called at 3.40am today following reports of a disturbance in Burfield Road, Old Windsor, where it is believed that a man had entered the River Thames.
"Officers attended the scene, as well as officers from Surrey Police and the fire and ambulance services.
A missing person investigation is ongoing and searches are taking place for the missing man so members of the public may see police officers in the area.
"Anyone who has any information that they think could help police in their investigation should call us on 101 quoting URN 128/7.”
A spokesman for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service said it had sent two appliances to the banks of the River Thames and back up crews from Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service including its water unit.
The fire service was called by a member of the public and the search for the man was turned into operation to recover a body.
A 76-year-old woman who lives near the river told of her shock on hearing about the incident.
Heather Wiles, of Runnymede, Surrey, said: "I heard the police helicopter this morning at around 4am.
"The main thing that happens when people have been drinking is they swim or fall in the river. If it was something more violent than that then I would be very shocked."
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