SearchLowland

At 10:45 this morning the team was contacted again by Greater Manchester Police for a continuation of the search for a missing man from the Lowton area.

Greater Manchester Police had identified additional search areas which required our assistance.

For this search we requested assistance from Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, who supplied 4 team members, who assisted 12 Bolton team members searching the identified areas.

Towards the end of the search, the team were contacted by the Police who had found the man outside our search areas.

We would like to pass on our condolences to the mans family.

This afternoon the team was contacted by Greater Manchester Police for assistance with a search centred around Pennington Flash.

A 63 year old man was causing concern for his welfare, who regularly walked around the Pennington Flash park, and lived locally. Due to the large area to be searched, we also requested assistance from Cheshire LSAR.

20 team members were involved in this search with 7 colleagues from Cheshire LSAR.

With the identified search areas complete all team members stood down at midnight

Shortly before 1am this morning the team were contacted by Greater Manchester Police for assistance with a search for a missing female from the Astley area.

The National Police Air Support unit had flown over the area, but the police still had concerns with the wooded areas where somebody could be hidden from air support.

17 team members attended this incident, searching areas of woodland and field boundaries. All areas were cleared by 5am.

The missing female turned up at her home address later the same day.

In the early hours of this morning the team was contacted by Greater Manchester Police to assist with a search in the Orrell water park area for a missing 18 year old girl.

The girl had gone missing earlier in the day whilst doing her exams at a nearby college.

Whilst the team were responding our Team Leader was contacted by the police to inform him a body had been found.

14 team members responded to this incident.

The team would like to pass its condolences to the girls family.

On Thursday 18th May the team was contacted by Greater Manchester Police to ask for assistance to search Seven Acres park in Bolton for a person who had not been seen for a number of days. The Police and family are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare.

Sebastien Smiltneek who lived local to Seven Acres park has not been seen since leaving his home address on 10th May.

This morning, fourteen team members met at the southern end of Seven Acres Park, including Support Group Member Dave Rees, who assisted in setting up the team catering trailer. The team used the car park of the Wildlife Trust on Bury Road. A number of search areas were identified, with team members deployed into these areas to search for the missing man.

Towards the end of this search the team was called to Cadshaw Castle Rocks to assist a fallen climber. See Incident 35/2017. On completion of this incident, the team returned to complete the allocated search areas.

The team searched all areas of the park without any significant finds.

The team was also assisted by a local 10 year old child called Lincoln, who showed great interest in what the team was doing and stayed at the control location throughout our search.

Thanks to the Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside Wildlife Trust for the use of their car park and facilities on Bury Road.

Police inquiries continue.

If anybody has further information on the whereabouts of Sebastien Smiltneek, please call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.