A MAN who disappeared while kayaking has not “done a John Darwin”, his mother insisted yesterday.

Shane Smith, 30, vanished under water after his kayak capsized about 400 yards off the North Sea beach at Seaham, County Durham, two weeks ago tonight.

Responding to rumours her son’s disappearance was part of an insurance scam, Pearl Smith said: “People have started asking, is he insured and things like that. It puts a really bad feeling on the whole search.

“For those who doubt it, I know he wasn’t insured. He never has been. This isn’t another John Darwin case.”

Mr Darwin, known as the back-from-the-dead canoeist, and his wife Anne, formerly of The Cliff, Seaton Carew, embarked on a new life in Panama after Mr Darwin faked his death in March 2002 to claim insurance pay-outs.

He turned up at a UK police station in December 2007, claiming he was suffering from amnesia.

The Darwins’ story began to fall apart after a picture of them in Panama appeared on the internet. They are both serving prison sentences.

Mr Smith was trying a newly-repaired kayak while his brother, stepbrother and two friends watched from the shore. He disappeared on Thursday, April 22, at about 7.15pm.

His mother has returned to the beach to search for him every day.

She said: “I don’t know what to feel any more. I think he’s got to be trapped.

“The sea was rough on Tuesday. I thought that might unleash him. But I went down and there was nothing.”

Mr Smith’s family has launched a campaign to make Seaham beach safer and prevent future accidents.

Mrs Smith, 53, said: “There’s not one buoy – not even a stand – and there’s not a single warning sign.

“If there had been something there with a long enough rope, maybe they could have thrown it and helped Shane – and not just him, but other people.

“If this is as dangerous as people say, there should be something there.”

Mr Smith suffered from hearing and sight problems, but was an experienced kayaker and strong swimmer.

He had a 17-year-old stepdaughter, Kelly.

Police have called off their search for Mr Smith, but anyone with information on his disappearance is asked to call them, on 0345-60-60-365