"I JUST want him home now."

Those were the words of a partner desperate for good news last night after her boyfriend went missing off the south coast.

Liam Day, 26, from Southampton, failed to return from a solo climbing trip to Swanage.

A full emergency search was launched on the Jurassic Coast in the early hours of Wednesday and continued last night.

Distraught girlfriend Emily Brown appealed for friends and family to share his picture online while rescue teams scoured land, air and sea.

Friends from Southampton University's mountaineering club travelled to Swanage yesterday to join the search.

Police said it was possible Liam was scaling the cliff unsupported.

Only climbing gear and his car were found yesterday. The vehicle was in Durlston Road, near Durlston Country Park, while the equipment was found one mile west of Anvil Point.

Liam, originally from Cumbria, is described as white, five feet nine inches tall and of slim build. He is bald with a ginger beard and blue eyes.

Telling friends she just wanted him home, Emily's appeal had shared by more than 300 people on Facebook last night.

Chief inspector Bob Acaster, of Dorset Police, said: “The man told his partner he was going climbing for the day but he failed to return home as normal.

"Every indication is that he did indeed go climbing on his own and we are very concerned that he may have come to some harm.

“It is possible that he may have gone deep water climbing which typically involves using a rope to lower down the cliff and then climbing back up unsupported.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the Swanage area yesterday and saw a man climbing the cliffs or in the Durlston Road area to please contact Dorset Police”.

Southampton University Mountaineering Club President Martin Wearn said: "Liam is still an active member of our club and as such many of us knew him well. Numerous people have gone to Swanage this afternoon and evening to help try and search for him."

Two helicopters, two RNLI lifeboats and two coastguard rescue teams from Swanage and St Albans all joined the search with Dorset's police and rescue service.

A Swanage lifeboat spokesperson said yesterday: "Solent Coastguard requested the launch of both of Swanage’s lifeboats to assist in a multi agency search for a climber that had been reported as overdue between Anvil Point and Dancing Ledge.

"The lifeboats launched and were quickly on scene and searching. After about 20 mins a rope was found over the cliff about 50m West of the Western mile markers.

"A thorough search of the area was carried out and with nothing found the search area was expanded."

Anyone with information is urged to call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident number 15:04.