A POLICE search was being carried out in York after a man was arrested beside the River Ouse.

A police underwater search team was preparing to continue searching the river near Clifton Bridge, while other officers scoured an area 400 yards either side of the bridge.

A 33-year-old man, whom police said was not from the York area, has been arrested "for his own safety" under the Mental Health Act.

Police cordoned off the area around the bridge from about 8pm yesterday.

They were called after two men stopped a taxi leaving Government House Road and asked the occupants to call the police.

A woman who was in the taxi told the Evening Press that one of them appeared wet and had blood on him.

She said the other, who was on a bicycle, had said: "He has found two bodies in a bag in the river," later adding he had found "two babies".

She said: "The taxi driver went down to the river, but didn't find anything. As he did that, the man without the bike was knocking on the door of the nearest house asking for the police."

The woman said that man "was in a real state".

She said: "He was only half-dressed. He looked like he had been in the river. His face was covered in blood."

A pair of shoes and a crumpled pair of trousers could be seen near the house where the man was knocking, which was taped off. They were taken away by forensic officers.

Detective Inspector Alan Carey, of York CID, speaking at the scene, declined to comment on reports of bodies being seen.

He said police were trying to find out why the man had been in the river and what he had been searching for.

Sergeant Rick Hall said that a member of the public reported seeing a seeing a man in the river at about 7.40pm.

"Officers attended and a 33-year-old man was arrested for his own protection. The man is still in police custody and inquiries are continuing."

Updated: 11:45 Saturday, June 12, 2004