THERE has been no sign of a man who fell into the River Wye, more than a week after the incident.

Police called off the search for the man, named locally as Gareth Mutlow, last Wednesday, a day after he fell from the A48 bridge which links Chepstow with England.

Gwent Police said following consultation with experts and owing to the weather conditions and the passage of time, it was believed the man was dead.

A man who knew the Mutlow family well said the young man’s death was the second tragedy to hit them in just a few years.

He said Gareth’s elder brother Tony died suddenly a number of years ago.

Speaking about the pair, he said: “They were all right, as good as gold, always willing to help.

“Gareth kept himself to himself, he was a quiet chap.”

His fall is not being treated as suspicious.

Mervyn Fleming, chairman of the Severn Area Rescue Association’s (Sara) Beachley lifeboat station, said his crews continue to keep lookout.

He said: “We keep a vigil while we are training. A number of our crew have an eye on the river all of the time as some of them live overlooking it.

“There are hundreds of square metres of water.

“Infra-red equipment can be used in the early hours of a search but now we are relying on our eyes.

“Our thoughts are with the family and those of others who are waiting,” he added.

An extensive search was conducted on the day of the incident, February 12, with air, land and water teams deployed. Sara crews spent the daylight hours looking for signs of life in the muddy river, accompanied by the Avon and Somerset Police helicopter, Chepstow coastguard and Gwent Police officers.