The search for a firefighter who went missing while swimming the English Channel for charity has been called off.

Crew manager Iain Hughes, based at the West Midlands Fire Service’s Wednesbury station, started his cross-Channel attempt yesterday morning accompanied by a support boat.

The 42-year-old father-of-two was raising money for The Fire Fighters Charity, British Heart Foundation and Midlands Air Ambulance.

In a statement on its website, the fire service said Iain’s colleagues learned he was missing on Tuesday evening.

French and Belgian military helicopters were sent out to try and find him, along with patrol boats from the navy and police, but they have since returned to their stations.

A JustGiving page under his name has so far raised more than £5,400 for the three charities, with a significant portion of donations coming in following the news that he was missing.

Wayne Brown, WMFS chief fire officer, said: ‘Iain’s disappearance is unspeakably sad. We are giving Iain’s family all the support we can at this distressing time.

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone close to Iain.

‘He is a highly-respected and much-loved colleague and friend to many.’

The service said Iain had become a firefighter at the age of 19, and worked at nine different stations before joining the Technical Rescue Unit last year.

He had been training for the cross-Channel swim for two years.

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