At 11:54 today we were contacted by Greater Manchester Police regarding the teams assistance with a search for a missing woman in the Worsley area.

The call was answered by our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, who then liaised with a GMP Missing Person Search Manager.

The team was requested to take part in a developing search operation for a missing 36 year old Boothstown, Worsley woman, who was last seen at her home address on Wednesday 21st May 2014.

Her disappearance in circumstances giving police concern for her wellbeing had led to two days of police search operations, and a very intense social and public media awareness campaign appealing for any information leading to her whereabouts.

A full team callout was paged at 12:33 hours and by mid-afternoon today team members were assembling alongside GMP resources at the search RVP of the Moorings Public House alongside the Bridgewater Canal, Boothstown, Worsley.

An intensive continuing police search was undertaken, alongside our search efforts.

Assets from the North West (Police) Search and Underwater Marine Unit, undertook a surface and sub-surface search of the nearby Bridgewater Canal, including the use of specialist sonar equipment.

The Bolton MRT control point pictured here with the North West Police Underwater Search & Marine Unit boat on the Bridgewater Canal

Our SAR Boat was also deployed to undertake a canal surface search.

An large number of members of the public, alerted by the social media appeals also took part in police coordinated search operations, with one estimate of at least 200 volunteers taking part in this part of the operation.

By late evening the police and Mountain Rescue search operation for today was concluded with police enquiries continuing.

The following resources were deployed to todays search operation:

• Greater Manchester Police – Tactical Aid Unit, Divisional Officers, 2x Missing Person Search Managers, and a number of PCSOs
• North West (Police) Search and Underwater Marine Unit – 2 vehicles, boat and dive team
• Bolton MRT – 2x team Land Rovers, Team minibus, Incident Control Vehicle, SAR Boat, 21 Team Callout List Members

The team and GMP would like to express thanks to the management of the Moorings Public House and Restaurant for allowing a large part of their car park to be used for the search RVP, and for the use of welfare facilities.