Police believe a Portuguese man may have drowned over the weekend after falling into the River Thames on his way back from work.

The man, thought to be 26 years old, is understood to have been seen floating unconscious in the Thames by a colleague near Putney Bridge at about 4.50am on Sunday, August 16.

He called the police but despite officers from the Marine Support Unit searching the river at the time, and then later that morning, the body was not recovered.

Police carried out four searches of the river but but no trace of the man has been found.

Wandsworth police opened a missing person’s inquiry but said they hold little hope of finding him alive.

According to a report in the Evening Standard, the man’s colleague told police he had been leaning over the bridge before "pretending" to jump to a hidden ledge.

He was allegedly seen seconds later floating in the water with his eyes closed, the report claimed.

• Do you know more? Let us know by email here, phone the newsdesk on 020 8330 9555 or leave a comment below.