Hunt for missing Wolston pensioner

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Police are appealing for help in finding an elderly man missing since last week.

George Summerfield, of Meadow Road, Wolston, was reported missing on Saturday by a relative.

Warwickshire Police are increasingly concerned as the 77-year-old has not been seen since making a visit to the village last Thursday.

A spokesman said: “House-to-house enquiries have been conducted, officers have visited establishments which Mr Summerfield is known to frequent, as well as searched of local woodland.

“They would like to hear from anyone who saw him on Thursday afternoon or thought there was anything unusual in his recent behaviour.”

Mr Summerfield is 5ft 10inch tall, of medium build and is bald apart from greying hair on the sides.

He is thought to have a dark anorak-type jacket and often wears a green checked flat cap. Police say anyone who sees him should call 999 immediately.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or 01926 415000.

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CCTV images released of missing Coventry pensioner George Summerfield

POLICE investigating the disappearance of an elderly man have released CCTV images in the hope of jogging people’s memories.

Missing George Summerfield, 77, was last seen two weeks ago, on March 29, in his home village of Wolston, near Coventry.

He was seen talking to two men on the Brandon Road Bridge, over the River Avon, at about 11.30am that morning. Neither of the men have yet been identified.

Mr Summerfield was also seen talking to someone in Rose and Crown pub car park between 2-4pm and police would like to speak to that person.

The CCTV released by police shows Mr Summerfield withdrawing cash from a bank machine at the Co-op in School Street the previous day, March 28. His bank account has not been accessed since.

Mr Summerfield was reported missing on March 31 by a relative who visited his home and raised the alarm.

An extensive police search involving police officers, dogs and off road bikes was carried out during the following week.

Acting Sgt Stuart Powell, of Warwickshire Police, said: “It is now two weeks since Mr Summerfield was last seen and we are very concerned for his welfare.

"We have conducted a thorough search of his home and the village of Wolston where he was last seen, and spoken to a number of people who have confirmed that Mr Summerfield is a creature of habit and for him to disappear like this is totally out of character.

"We are very grateful to the members of the local community who have been helping us with our search and circulating posters and information for us, and now appeal again to anyone who has not spoken to us but may have information to come forward.

“We will continue to search for Mr Summerfield until he is found and the reason for his disappearance becomes clear.”

Mr Summerfield is white, 5ft 10in and of medium build. He has a bald head apart from long, grey/black hair down the sides. He is thought to be wearing a dark anorak type jacket and usually wears a green checked flat cap.

Anyone who sees him is asked to dial 999 immediately, or anyone with information should contact Rugby Police on 01788 853990.

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Divers drafted in to help search for missing Wolston pensioner



DIVERS have been drafted in to the search for a missing Wolston pensioner George Summerfield.

Police insist they remain hopeful George Summerfield will be found alive, despite trawling the River Avon for the 77-year-old.

Numerous sightings of popular Mr Summerfield, of Wolston, near Coventry, were made on March 29, but he has not been seen since then.

Yesterday, Warwickshire Police drafted in divers from Thames Valley Police to search the nearby River Avon and the surrounding area for any trace of the missing pensioner.

And despite the last sighting coming 19 days ago, acting Sgt Stuart Powell denied that police had given up hope of finding George alive.

“We are hopeful,” he said. “Obviously we are concerned as has been said before because of Mr Summerfield’s vulnerability but we remain hopeful this will come to a happy conclusion.”

Since Mr Summerfield was reported missing on March 31, two days after the last sighting, searches of his home in Meadow Road and other locations have drawn a blank.

Police waders have walked through the stretch of the Avon close to a bridge where Mr Summerfield was seen feeding the ducks but divers have not been brought in until now.

Sgt Powell denied that the move - some 16 days after Mr Summerfield was reported missing - should have come earlier.

“We review all our actions,” he said.

“We decided that as good a job as the waders have done, it would make sense to bring in divers to make sure we have not missed anything.

“George has lived here for, I believe, about 40 years and he is very well known in the community. He is a bit of a character.

“We are still appealing for anyone who knows anything about Mr Summerfield, his whereabouts or intentions, and has not spoke to us about it to come forward. Information will be treated in confidence.”

A high-profile police presence, including divers and PCSO teams, arrived in the village yesterday and will remain until at least today.

They are retracing previous searches and hunting for new information that may lead to the pensioner being found.

Sgt Powell added: “We are grateful for all the support we have had from the local community, and their help with our searches so far.

“Clearly he is a much-loved member of the community and everyone is as keen as us to find him.”

Anyone who sees Mr Summerfield is asked to dial 999 immediately. Anyone with information about his whereabouts or intentions should call 01788 853990.

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Police find body on farmland near Wolston

POLICE say they believe a body found on farmland near Wolston is believed to be missing pensioner George Summerfield.

The discovery was made at 11am on Tuesday morning by police teams scouring the area.

A large number of officers descended on the village as the search for the 77-year-old, who had lived in the village for 40 years, was stepped up.

Det Insp Colin Jones said: “Shortly before 11am this morning members of the police search team discovered a body which we believe to be that of Mr George Summerfield, who has been missing for more than two weeks.

“The body was found in a ditch on farmland close to the village.

"It has now been recovered and the formal identity process can be carried out. The coroner has been informed."