Lifeboat crews were called out this morning to continue the search for missing Canterbury woman Claire Knights.

Police issued an appeal for information yesterday after Claire’s dog was reportedly found running loose on a beach at Minnis Bay in Birchington.

The 54-year-old, from Upstreet, is about 5ft, 6ins, with straight brown, greying hair, and was last seen at Minnis Bay yesterday afternoon.

Margate’s B class and D class lifeboats were first tasked just before midnight yesterday, joining the Coastguard rescue helicopter, Kent Police and Coastguard Rescue Teams in the search.

Teams carried out searches on land while the lifeboats undertook a shoreline search between Minnis Bay and Reculver and up to half a nautical mile offshore.

The sea operation was called off after two hours, with the lifeboats returning to station, while the shore-based agencies continued on land.

Margate’s two RNLI lifeboats were tasked again at 10.30am this morning, joined by Whitstable RNLI’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat to recommence the search, with Coastguard Rescue Teams and Kent Police also involved on shore.

The lifeboats looked close inshore between Margate and Reculver from the shoreline and up to one nautical offshore, the three lifeboats coordinating their effort to cover the area. The sea search was again called off after around two and a half hours, while onshore searches and enquiries continued.

Kent Search & Rescue confirmed on Twitter that at around 2am they were called to assist in the search.

A police statement issued earlier today said: “Claire Knights was last seen in Upstreet yesterday morning and is believed to have travelled to the Minnis Bay area, where she is reported to have been seen later that afternoon.

“She is thought to be carrying a red or pink rucksack and was walking a white and brown spaniel.

“Officers are concerned for her welfare and urge anyone who has seen her or knows of her whereabouts to call 999, quoting reference 23-1922.”

An appeal to find Ms Knights has been circulated widely on social media. The post states that the woman’s Springer Spaniel was “found running on Minnis Bay beach without collar or lead” and was taken to the police.