Brighton police revive search for missing Nellie Herriott

Brighton police officers will be returning to the Whitehawk area this week to remind people that 96-year-old Nellie Herriott is still missing.

They will ask residents to recheck their gardens and outbuildings in a further attempt to try to find her.

She was last seen getting off a bus in Whitehawk Road on Monday 23 April.

Nellie Herriott

Detective Sergeant Duncan Elliott, from Brighton and Hove CID, said: “We have never given up on our search for Nellie, who is a very independent pensioner and enjoyed travelling around Brighton and was a regular customer at the BHS café in Churchill Square.

“Our search for Nellie has involved officers investigating more than 90 separate reported sightings as well as using specialist search teams that comprised the North and West Neighbourhood Watch Search Teams, Sussex Lowland Search and Rescue along with Lowland Search Dogs.

“Many hours of CCTV have been scrutinised, hospitals regularly checked and a high profile social media campaign was launched with the much appreciated help of the public that ran alongside extensive local media coverage for which both Sussex Police and Nellie’s family are incredibly grateful.”

Sergeant Russ Phillips, Sussex Police search adviser in charge of the search for Nellie, said: “From the beginning of the investigation we liaised with the UK’s Missing Persons Bureau (MPB) in order to make sure that our search strategy was the right one for Nellie based upon her mental and physical capabilities known to us at the time she went missing.

“The investigation into Nellie’s whereabouts, although scaled down after several weeks, was never closed and in accordance with best practice the investigation was reviewed and a decision has been made to revist the area where Nellie was last seen.

“In light of this a team of officers will attend Whitehawk over the coming days and engage with residents in a further attempt to locate her.”

Members of Nellie’s family have been informed that further inquiries will be taking place and said: “We are very concerned that the public does not forget our aunt is still missing.

“We desperately would like to know where she is.

“We are very grateful for the ongoing support of the Sussex Police through this difficult time.

“We urge anybody with any information to come forward if they haven’t done so already.”