A woman has died after becoming trapped under a boat in Great Yarmouth, police have confirmed.

Eastern Daily Press: The emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

Officers were called just before 1.35pm on Wednesday, August 19 to reports of a woman in the water close to the yacht station in North Quay.

They have confirmed a woman, aged in her 30s and from the London area, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A cordon has been put in place around the boat and enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the incident and how the woman came to be in the water, a statement said.

Lawn Avenue, which was closed for four hours while emergency services were on scene, has now been reopened.

Eastern Daily Press: The emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

At the height of the response a fleet of up to 20 emergency vehicles from across a range of services including ambulance, police, the fire service and coastguard rushed to the riverside.

As ambulances and fire crews left, three diving teams arrived and were seen assembling equipment.

The road was closed from the Fullers Hill roundabout to the bus station.

The River Bure was also closed to boats, with a vessel further along telling people to turn back.

Eastern Daily Press: The emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

Police officers twice extended the cordon while the incident was under way telling onlookers with children to move away.

An eyewitness said he saw the woman fall into the water.

Lorin Robinson, 24, from Bristol was among those first on the scene.

He stopped to help with traffic management and said he was “shaken” by the tragedy.

Eastern Daily Press: The emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

One woman said: “It is frightening to think how quickly things can change.”

The Gorleston and Great Yarmouth lifeboat which had been alongside the 42ft cruiser Diamond Emblem for most of the operation left the scene at around 5.15pm.

The roads and river were reopened shortly afterwards.

Eastern Daily Press: The emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe emergency services at an incident on the River Bure at Great Yarmouth. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)