UK and French tourists missing in Australia beach search

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Hugo Palmer (left) and Erwan Ferrieux are missing, Australian police say

A British man and his French companion are missing in Australia, sparking a large-scale police search.

The alarm was raised when passersby found items belonging to Hugo Palmer and Erwan Ferrieux, both 20, on a beach north of Sydney on Monday, authorities said.

Police searched the location, Shelly Beach, and discovered the pair's rental car nearby.

Other personal items, including travel documents, were found in the vehicle.

Police began ground and water searches on Monday, but they have not found any sign of the men.

The pair had arrived in the region on Sunday, said the local Port Macquarie News, which reported that Mr Palmer was from East Sussex.

Police Insp Michael Aldridge told the newspaper that recent surf conditions had been rough.

A British High Commission spokeswoman said: Our staff are in contact with police in Australia and the UK following reports of a missing British man at Shelly Beach, New South Wales."

Authorities did not say how long the men had been in Australia.

Shelly Beach is a popular surfing and walking site in Port Macquarie, located about 380km (250 miles) north of Sydney.