Update: police scale down search for missing Ulverston man (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Update: police scale down search for missing Ulverston man

2:57pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in News

POLICE searching for missing Mark Westall are scaling down their mission after exhausting all leads.

Officers have been searching the area of Ulverston and Barrow for 10 days since 44- year-old Mr Westall failed to return home and was officially reported missing on Monday (January 23). He left without any of his medication, money or a change of clothes.

Since then, teams of officers from Cumbria Police supported by the Duddon Mountain Rescue Team, Coastguard, British Transport Police and Underwater Search Team have trawled through the local area, searching for any sign of Mark.

On Tuesday (31 Jan), Mark’s jacket was found by the MRT in the Plumpton area which led a team of around 15 police officers to conduct a thorough search of the disused railway line area yesterday. Despite their efforts, Mark remains outstanding.

The search for Mark also went online this week as officers appealed to their Twitter followers and Facebook friends for help in circulating his photograph and appeal for information.

Sergeant Martin Harbidge said: “We have focused our efforts around the Plumpton area over the last few days but sadly, Mark still hasn’t been found.

“We haven’t given up hope of finding Mark safe and our online campaign to #helpfindmark is ongoing – with a report stating that our appeal has reached over 7000 people on Twitter within the first few days*. We are still hopeful that information will continue coming in to us from the public so if you think you’ve seen him, please contact us.

“We have exhausted all areas to search in the Barrow and Ulverston area at this stage so we are being forced to scale back our efforts until any new information or sightings come in.

“Mark’s family are understandably distressed and we are in close contact with them, offering as much support as we can.

“Mark – please remember that you are not in any trouble with the police, but we are helping your family who are so worried about you. Please contact them to let them know you are safe.”

He is described as white, 5' 6'' tall, of a stocky build with dark brown, collar length wavy hair. He was last seen wearing an orange jacket and blue trousers, with a light coloured sweatshirt worn under his jacket.

If you think you have seen Mark or have any information about his whereabouts, please contact Ulverston police on 101 immediately.

*A report generated by ‘Tweetreach’ states that #helpfindmark has been tweeted around 50 times amongst the Twitter community so far, reaching 7,645 people.