Woodland search for mechanic

Father-of-two Danny Hathaway, 44, whose mother and father live in the Church Stretton area, was last seen at his home on the Gretton Brook Road site in Corby, Northamptonshire, last Wednesday evening.

Up to 20 officers were scouring woodland near the village of Bulwick on the main A43 to the north of Corby. Uniformed officers were stopping motorists near the travellers' site in the hope of jogging their memories.

The mechanic, said to be well known and liked in the travelling community, was due to fly to Austria the following day with his partner Diane Furey, their two young children and his family.

He did not say where he was going but is thought to have been picked up in a van.

It is thought he had about £3,000 in cash on him and police said it would not be unusual for someone in Mr Hathaway's occupation to carry such amounts.

On Tuesday night police in Cambridgeshire found an abandoned van in flood water in the village of Sutton Gault, near Ely. It has been taken for forensic tests.

Chief Superintendent Dean Smith said detectives had received information that led them to the woodland but there had been no sightings of Danny since he went missing.

"Regrettably we have to say that as each day goes on, we fear the worst," he said.

Earlier this week, Mr Hathaway's father, retired vicar Kenneth Hathaway, held a press conference.

He said: "Danny, as he was always known, had endeared himself to so many people over the years of his travels in this country and in Europe. He was so generous and kind that people instinctively loved him.

"Someone out there must know of his whereabouts or have seen him, and this is an appeal to them from our hearts. Please, please, if you know where he is or if you have any information of any kind that will help us to find him, let the police know."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Corby police on 08453 700700.