THE family of the man feared drown in a reservoir kept a vigil while police divers spent a second day searching for his body.

Mitchell Bury, 33, has not been seen since he went swimming in Wayoh Reservoir, near Edgworth, in the early hours of Sunday morning after a night out with friends.

Police said Mr Bury, who lives alone in Nuttall Street, Ewood, had attempted to swim a one-third of a mile bank-to-bank stretch, but never made it to the other side.

A pile of his clothes was found on the bank.

Police divers spent a second day painstakingly searching the waters yesterday but Mr Bury has still not been found. A spokesman said divers were having to carry out a fingertip search of the area because the visibility was so bad. The whole of the reservoir will be searched.

His family looked on while the search was carried out.

A fresh hunt was expected today but police admitted that there was little hope that he had managed to get out of the water.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents repeated their warnings of swimming in open waters such as reservoirs or canals.

Spokesman Jane Eason said there were 570 incidents of drowning every year -- 320 of them in open waters. Those most affected are males between 18 and 35.

Ms Eason added that incidents increased with the summer weather as people cool off but warned the water would still be very cold.

She said: "Even with this weather the water will never be above freezing just a couple of inches down and people get into trouble as a result."

Neighbours of Mr Bury expressed their shock at the tragedy and said they were "keeping their fingers crossed" that he was still alive.

Residents in Hob Lane, near to the United Utilities-owned reservoir, said the area was not known for attracting swimmers. One of the residents raised the alarm when Mr Bury's friends pounded on her door at about 5am on Sunday.

Danger signs stand on the bank of the reservoir warning people not to swim in the water.