A British woman who vanished from her sunbed on a Greek beach while her husband was sleeping was reportedly seen getting into deep water and was told to not go any further.

Michele Ann Joy Bourda, 59, had been swimming at Ofrynio beach in the city of Kavala at around noon on Friday before disappearing.

Police have been searching on land for the tourist, while Greece's Hellenic Coast Guard have been scouring the sea, but the central port authority in Kavala last night said it had paused its targeted search and rescue efforts.

A sports instructor has now claimed that he saw a woman that resembled Mrs Bourda swimming in deep waters and said that he urged her to not go any further, LBC reports.

Sources have also claimed that her belongings were left behind next to her sun-lounger after she vanished.