Search boats and a helicopter will start searching shortly, for a man reported missing at Howth Harbour in north Dublin. 

The alarm was raised at around twenty past five yesterday evening by Gardaí in Dublin who reported that a man had been seen in Balscadden Bay.

Several lifeboats and the coastguard helicopter had joined the hunt for the man, who's believed to be in his 40's, before it was called off when it became dark.

The coastguard has confirmed that personal items including fishing equipment have been recovered at the scene.