UPDATED: POLICE HELICOPTER IN SEARCH ABOVE RURAL AREAS NEAR SANDOWN

The National Police Air Service helicopter has been scrambled to assist in a search of the countryside near Sandown tonight (Bank Holiday Monday). The assistance of the Bournemouth-based helicopter was called upon by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary shortly before 22:00 – but the exact reason remains a mystery. However, it is thought the search relates to a vulnerable missing person. No appeal has been launched but WightSAR – the Island’s search and rescue team – have been called out tonight. The specialist aerial resource has focused its search efforts around the area between Alverstone and Sandown, which includes Sandown Airport, Shanklin & Sandown Golf Club and the Sandown-Newport cycle path. It’s thought that the Police have deployed a drone into the skies. Island Echo is told that officers on the ground were patrolling the streets of Sandown earlier on the night, for an apparent low-key search. UPDATE 23:15  – WightSAR have rendezvoused with police at Shanklin & Sandown Golf Club with officers and search & rescue technicians on foot searching the area. UPDATE 01:00  – The missing person has been found, teams have now stood down and returned to base.