Early this morning at 06.25hrs Mick Nield the Team Leader of Oldham MRT directly contacted our Team Leader, requesting the teams attendance with the continuation of a search involving Kinder and Oldham MRT’s which had commenced in the early hours of the morning in the Stockport area.

Greater Manchester Police had instigated a search following reports of a missing 35 year old man, with concern for his welfare mounting.

As a result of Police intelligence the search effort had been concentrated in the Woodbank Memorial Park and adjoining Vernon Park area of Stockport, including dense woodlands, open parklands and the steep banks of the River Goyt.

Overnight 15x Kinder MRT and 13x Oldham MRT members, backed up by a Search and Rescue Dog, had searched the area, but a number of retasks and other areas remained to be covered in daylight.

A full Bolton MRT pager call out was made at 07.01hrs, with our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE arriving on scene at the entrance to Woodbank Memorial Park at 08.00hrs to be fully briefed by Mick Nield, Team Leader of Oldham MRT.

Other Bolton MRT members including two of our team Vehicles then arrived by 08.48hrs.

In total (due to it being a workday morning) eight Bolton MRT members responded, joining with GMP Officers and GMP Missing Person Search Managers in initial searches of some ’high priority’ areas immediately alongside the River Goyt.

By mid morning seven Rossendale and Pendle MRT members had also joined in the search, covering the woodland area to the north of Offerton, Stockport.
During the search members of the Parks staff and Stockport MBC Rangers also assited with advice and local knowledge.

With further Police intelligence, centered around phone tracking due to growing concerns for the missing mans welfare, it became apparent that the missing person was mobile and after a review of proceedings, it was decided at 12.00hrs to suspend the role of the MRTs involved in trying to locate this missing person, with GMP continuing their enquiries.

By this stage Bolton MRT and Rossendale & Pendle MRT were about to call out more of their resources including the Bolton MRT boat and RPMRTs Control Vehicle.

At the conclusion of our involvement, there was a possible sighting of the missing person at the entrance to the Park area by some of our members which was investigated by GMP.

Early this evening we were informed that just after 17.00hrs due to further Police enquiries the missing person was located in the area of Offerton, Stockport, and taken into the care of GMP.

The Bolton MRT team members present would like to take this opportunity to thank all at Pure Innovations Cafe at Vernon Park, Stockport, for their hospitality shown when we called in after the search for something to eat at lunchtime.

As soon as the Manager Emma Mountain heard of our involvement in the earlier search near to the Cafe, she laid on an endless supply of free tea and coffee, whilst staff members Jenny Powell and Emma Radcliffe kindly provided ’discounted’ bacon barmcakes.