Police divers searching the water along the Thames near where a kayaker went missing at the weekend found a body earlier today.

The body, which has not yet been identified, was taken from the Surrey side of the river close to the Ham House ferry landing at 2.05pm today.

A marine policing unit and RNLI crew had been trawling the waters near the car park at the bottom of Ham Street since a 17-year-old's kayak capsized on Sunday, July 31.

Richmond police's acting Chief Inspecter Hannah Wheeler confirmed a kayaker had gone into the water during yesterday's Richmond Canoe Club's annual regatta.

She said: "At 12.20pm there was a call to police to say there was a canoe and paddle floating in the river but no sign of the person who was in it."

Police said the teenager's family, who live outside of the Richmond area, had been informed of the situation.

The kayaker is said to be the oldest of three children.

Chief Inspector Wheeler said: "A witness that was on the Richmond side told us a young man capsized then came up to the surface and grabbed hold of his canoe, as is standard practice."

It is reported the kayaker then started swimming to the edge of the river, holding on to the boat, before spectators lost sight of him.

The teenage kayaker's family, who were not at the race, were said to be very distressed.

The boy was thought to be an experienced oarsman had not been wearing a life jacket, it was believed. One eye witness said she had heard he suffered from epilepsy.

A woman whose son took part in an earlier race and then helped search the riverbank after the boy went missing said: “One of the lifeboats came tearing down and said they wanted to talk to the Richmond safety boat.

“What was obvious was there was a boat and a paddle and no kid. I think the ferry man was the one who raised the alarm.

“It seems ridiculous but everyone was looking to see if their kid had got out of the water.

“I would say nothing was lacking on the emergency service level. Everyone seemed to react very quickly.

“I can’t understand how it can happen. It was done in front of hundreds of people. If people could have helped they would have.

“It’s just about the saddest thing that could happen. It was such a perfect day with so many people doing such a brilliant sport in perfect weather. It’s just tragic it ended like this.”

Police searched the towpaths and water surrounding the accident scene until 9.30pm last night, when the light failed, and were out in force again this morning with six divers set to trawl the waters.

Chief Inspector Wheeler added: "This is generally a very safe stretch of river and this is not something that happens all the time.

"It is a horrendous time for them [the family] , very traumatic, and we are trying to make it as least intrusive for them as possible."