DIVERS conducted a second day of underwater searches at a reservoir as part of the ongoing police investigation into the disappearance of a Bolton man.

Specialist frogmen and an inflatable rib craft were seen exploring Bradford Reservoir in Bradford Road, Great Lever, today as part of efforts to find missing James Hodgkiss.

He was last seen almost three months ago in Weston Street, Great Lever, wheeling a black piece of luggage towards Bolton town centre.

Detective Inspector Charlotte Cadden said: “Mr Hodgkiss’ family are aware of the search. 

“We have done a second search of the initial 300m zone around the last sighting of James on Weston Street on August 3.”

Today divers carried out a second day’s search for clues as to the 34-year-old’s whereabouts.

The six-strong specialist team with two inflatable crafts was from the North West Underwater Search and Marine Unit, shared by GMP with other regional forces.

An angler who turned up was told he could fish at the other end of the reservoir – run by Bolton and District Anglers Association – as teams were initially searching the half of the body of water.

A land search team scoured undergrowth in the area and were combing an area at the nearby junction of Bradford Road and Crescent Road while other offices in hi-vis jackets conducted door-to-door enquiries and spoke to passers-by in Crescent Road among others.

A spokeswoman for GMP said: “There’s no update at this moment and our investigation has not escalated.

“The divers are being thorough and making sure we have covered everything.”

James is white, slim, 6ft 2ins, with short dark hair, stubble and blue eyes.

He was last seen wearing dark blue tracksuit bottoms, dark Nike T-shirt, black and white trainers and a dark coat.

Last year, the father-of-three was living in Crown Lane, Horwich, and was working as a scrap metal collector.

Anyone with information can call police on 0161 856 5761.