EMERGENCY services battled torrential rain and high winds after they feared people may have leapt from a burning barge moored in the River Itchen.

A large scale search and rescue operation was launched in the early hours of yesterday after reports that there could have been someone on the barge before the fire took hold.

Due to its position in the middle of the waterway firefighters could not reach it and the vessel was allowed to burn out.

However, muddy footprints leading to the vessel from the shore prompted fears there was someone on board it.

As a result the coastguard along with Calshot RNLI all weather lifeboat Alexander Coutanche and D class inshore lifeboat Willett were all launched to the incident near Northam Bridge.

More than a dozen crew searched the area for more than two hours in winds of up to 70mph and torrential downpours.

The Solent Coastguard helicopter was also scrambled in a bid to locate anyone who may have jumped from the barge and in need of rescuing.

Eyewitness Jordan Howard, 27, said there was a number of emergency services on the scene. “I was just on my way home from work and there was a hold up on the Northam Bridge and clearly a lot of activity. It looked like some sort of search was under way.

“The barge was completely destroyed by the fire, there was nothing the firefighters could do other than let it burn out, it was causing quite a hold up of traffic though as there did seem to be a lot of people involved in the search.”

Calshot RNLI lifeboats and Hamble independent lifeboat were also called in to conduct a thorough search along the shallower waters.

The search was eventually called off by 8pm after information was received that the boat had been unoccupied at the time.

Hampshire police said there was no investigation under way into the circumstances of the blaze.