BBC 1 ‘Reported Missing’ focuses on an OAP who went missing on way Neston – the search extended to Sealand ranges

A BBC One’s TV series following missing person cases in Cheshire looks at the case of a pensioner who vanished on her way to doctor’s appointment in Neston earlier this year.

The hour-long episode of the critically acclaimed ‘Reported Missing’ focuses on 77-year-old Jean who caught bus from her home eight miles away in Thornton Hough, but it had been 15 years since she made the journey there alone.

Her son Edward would normally drive her, but he has recently had to give up driving for medical reasons.

With evening approaching and Jean still not returned home, her son becomes increasingly anxious.

As the days pass Cheshire Police Sargeant Lisa Wilson spearheads a large-scale search for the pensioner which extended to Sealand Army ranges.

The huge search operation involved North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR) – the Mold based search and rescue team.

NEWSAR volunteers covered rural areas around Neston, during 230 hours of team member activity.

Police also called on the services of Cheshire search-and-rescue volunteers, the Hawarden based National Police Air Service helicopter and the North West Police Underwater Search and Marine Unit.

A spokesperson for Cheshire police said:

“A production team from Blast! Films has been working with the Constabulary since September 2017 following high risk missing from home cases from the moment the 999 call comes in, through to their resolution.

It has been a carefully and thoughtfully made series exploring the work of Cheshire Police and their collaboration with other agencies including Search and Rescue, the Underwater Search Team and National Police Air Service (NPAS).

The series also follows the sensitive stories and emotional journeys of the families and friends involved in each case.

It also looks into some of the reasons people go missing and the resources involved in the search operation.”

Reported Missing BBC One Monday September 17 – 9pm.

Watch NPAS in action on @BBCOne at 9pm tonight. We work with @cheshirepolice and @CheshireSar to try and locate a missing pensioner who boarded a bus to head to a doctor’s appointment but never arrived. @NPASBarton @NPASHawarden #NPAS999 🚁 ^RC https://t.co/JI8UO85Fzu

— NationalPoliceAirService (@NPAShq) September 17, 2018