A specialist search dog has been drafted in to hunt for missing Fiona Edson.
A cadaver dog named Buzz, trained to find drowning victims by sniffing out human scent particles emanating from water, this afternoon (Thursday) started searching the River Avon in Chippenham.
Whilst it is hoped that the 51-year-old mother – who uses a mobility scooter – is found alive, fears she may have entered the waterway in the vicinity of Monkton Park are very real.
So far, searches have not turned up any clues about her disappearance and detectives’ enquiries haven’t been able to ascertain where she when on Sunday afternoon (25 June).
A major search operation was launched in the early hours of Monday morning and remains ongoing today (Thursday) – more than four days since Fiona disappeared.
In a statement on Wednesday, Detective Inspector Mark Kent appealed to the public to cast their minds back to Sunday afternoon. He wants to hear from anyone who may have saw Fiona, or anything out of the ordinary in the area.
He said: “We are extremely concerned about Fiona’s welfare and we are continuing to provide support to her family as our searches continue.
“We understand Fiona left her home on her mobility scooter, although she does have limited mobility and can walk short distances. Officers have been working round the clock alongside volunteers from WiLSAR to try and locate Fiona”
Adding: “We would like to thank the members of the public who have already contacted us with information following our public appeals and we would urge anyone who was in the Monkton Park area on Sunday afternoon to cast their mind back…
“Did you see a woman matching Fiona’s description on a mobility scooter? What direction was she heading in? Did anything appear out of the ordinary?
“Any information you have, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, could be vital.”
Anyone with information should call 101 and quote log number 342 of June 25 or 999 in an emergency.
