Daughters “will not stop” in search for missing Essex dad

Gordon Wilson (Image: Archant)

The Essex Lowland Search and Rescue Team joined police officers in the last scheduled coordinated search for Mr Wilson in an area north of Halstead at the weekend.

The search turned up nothing and Mr Wilson, who suffers from vascular dementia, has now been missing for nearly three months following his disappearance on Sunday, October 25 from his home in Leaden Roding.

Daughters Lesley Rankin, 54 and Gillian Wilson, 49, remain committed to finding their dad, but admit they are unsure of what their next step is.

Lesley said: “We really don’t know what to do. The police and rescue teams have been great, but with no more searches scheduled, we have to now figure out what we are going to do next.

“We may go down the route of hiring a private detective although I’m not sure how much they would be able to help in this sort of case.

“It’s such a mixture of emotions. It’s so distressing that he’s been gone for so long, but I still have hope that he will be found alive.”

Gillian, who has been out searching for her father every weekend, said: “I search fields around Sible Hedingham, where he was last seen, but obviously he could have walked 10 miles in any direction from that point so it’s a wide radius.

“Another possible scenario is that someone picked him up in a car and took him somewhere, although police think it’s unlikely due to the fact that there have been no further sightings.

“But we will never stop searching for dad. If one of us had gone missing, he wouldn’t have stopped looking, so it doesn’t matter how long it takes, we will not stop.”

A Facebook group has been launched by Sible Hedingham residents in order to help find Mr Wilson with further searches of the village and surrounding areas planned.

Information: Anyone wishing to help can visit www.facebook.com/Find-Gordon-Wilson-1647409785499956/.