Police in the area have stepped up their search for Gillian Merrick and are continuing their efforts to return her safely home. Mrs Merrick who disappeared in the early hours of New Year’s Day is still missing after over a week of searching. In the last few days the search for the missing mother of two has been heightened after receiving additional support from a specialist dog team, a police helicopter and over 50 volunteers who all joined in to aid the search. As the investigation continues Police have extended their searches to the surrounding villages of Oundle after their preliminary search of Barnwell Country Park and the land surrounding Oundle yielded no results.

Amongst the volunteers are Mr Merrick and his children, Tom, 15 and Charlotte, 14 who recently returned back to school after an active week involved in the search. Police, whilst working alongside many volunteers, have been carrying out their investigations in the surrounding villages. Lilford, home to Amery Rodrigues, a pupil from Oundle School, described how “the Police were in the area carrying out their search and asked to look in my garden, but they found nothing.”

Mr Merrick also commented on how grateful he was that “so many people have gone out in the cold to help us” and how his family, along with the whole community “are remaining positive Gill will be back.” A poster showing Gill, pictured in the red scarf she was thought to have been wearing has been produced and widely distributed around Oundle, with posters in every shop window and in streets around the town. The distribution of this poster has increased public awareness of the situation that has helped in recruiting volunteers as well as strengthening the efforts of the search.

Mrs Merrick who is recovering from a back operation and has difficulty walking is thought to have left her house early in the morning of New Year’s Day. Police have received two reports of sightings of a woman matching the description of Gillian Merrick, walking down the A605 near Oundle heading towards Thrapston later that morning; however these sightings are yet to be confirmed as being Gillian. Meanwhile the Oundle Police team has made contact with Police in East Sussex where the Merricks used to live and are trying to find out of any possible sightings in the area. Leading this investigation is Detective Chief Inspector Andy Cox who is stated that “We are following up every possible line of inquiry that may lead us to Gillian and we would like to hear from anyone who knows her from her time in East Sussex and may be able to shed light on her whereabouts.”