A MAJOR search operation was launched after reports of an adult and a child playing in a dangerous stretch of water last night.

Police, fire crews and mountain rescue teams scoured the stretch of water in Bacup for over two hours.

A woman whose home overlooks the stretch of water near New Line called the police after seeing the two men, who she believed to be aged around 20 and 11, playing in the culvert.

The water has a drop of around 15 foot in one part which could prove dangerous to anybody playing in there.

Watch manager Terry Nightingale, of Bacup fire station, said they were called to attend the scene at around 7pm.

He said: “Fire service crews from Bacup, Nelson, Darwen, Preston and the rescue team from St Annes all attended, as well as mountain rescue.

“We determined the area to be searched and the Nelson crew, who are a specialist water rescue team, led the search.

“They searched the length of culvert from New Line reservoir down to the Sidings Industrial Estate, where there is a grid stopping anything from going through, and nothing was located.

“The next section of water was also searched which revealed nothing.”

He said the searched was called off at 9.30pm.

A police spokesman added: “We were called to the area at around 7pm after fears for the safety of the two people.

“After a thorough search we were satisfied that they had left the water and were safe.

“We would ask people to be careful around water though and avoid the temptation to enter rivers or streams in the hot weather.”