THIS is the dramatic moment when the search for a missing grandmother went wrong as a dingy containing sophisticated search equipment was swept over a raging weir.

Officers of Northumbria Police Marine Unit were forced to abandon their rigid inflatable boat when its engine failed as they scanned the top of the weir with specialist sonar equipment, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

They clung onto the vessel as it swept over the weir.

But the vessel got caught in the cauldron and officers looked on helplessly as it was partially-submerged and their expensive computer was soaked.

The drama unfolded on the River Wear at Chester-le-Street’s Riverside Park shortly after 11am.

The crew had set off earlier from the Chester-le-Street Amateur Rowing Club in their search for Pamela Jackson.

The 55-year-old has not been seen since Saturday, March 2, when she spoke to her son Joe at their home in the Crescent, Chester-le-Street.

Police have made extensive inquiries in and around Chester-le-Street, in a bid to find clues to where Ms Jackson, could have gone.

They have also arrested and charged her partner, 50-year-old Adrian Muir, with her murder.

PC Chris Dellow, one of the two crew members, said: “The engine cut out while we were scanning the top of the weir.

"Our IT department is going to have to look at the laptop computer.

“Thankfully no-one was hurt.”