Police investigating the disappearance of midwife Samantha Eastwood are searching a disused quarry near Stoke-on-Trent.
Specialist teams are carrying out searches in Caverswall in a bid to find clues as to the whereabouts of the 28-year-old, who has not been seen in more than a week.
Her colleagues at Royal Stoke University Hospital reported her missing after she failed to turn up for a night shift on Friday 27 July, having last seen her leaving work at 7.45am that morning.
She was described as being “jovial and happy” as she left, and her workmates said her unannounced absence was “very much out of character”.
An occupant of a neighbouring farm to where police are searching said officers had asked to view footage from his CCTV camera of the night she disappeared, but his camera didn’t have enough storage to go back that far.
Nigel Potts, 53, who owns Newhill Farm, said he had seen more police activity down by a nearby disused quarry.
After he had passed the quarry on Saturday morning, Mr Potts said: “There was a minibus, a van and half a dozen cars I’d say.
“It seems that that’s where the main focus of the search is. They’ve been down here for three days.”
Officers are investigating reports of screaming coming from Ms Eastwood’s home in the hours after she was last seen, and a 32-year-old man was arrested in connection with the disappearance but later released under investigation.
Detective Superintendent Simon Duffy, of Staffordshire Police, said: “Today’s extensive searches are part of the ongoing investigation, which has officers and staff working round the clock in an effort to find anything which brings us closer to finding Samantha.
“I am calling on any member of the public with any information, however small and insignificant it may seem.”
Ms Eastwood is described as white, approximately 5ft 3in, with shoulder-length ginger hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion, with freckles.
Police have released CCTV of Ms Eastwood leaving work with a female colleague, before driving off alone in her Volvo car, which was found parked at her home.
:: Anyone who has seen anything or has information that may be useful should call police on 101, contact the force online at mipp.police.uk/operation/1009, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
From – SkyNews
