More than 200 police officers in Brighton are said to be continuing “extensive searches” for Constance Marten and Mark Gordon’s missing baby.
35-year-old Constance Marten, and 48-year-old Mark Gordon, both went missing, along with their newborn baby after their vehicle broke down close to Junction 4 of the M61 near Farnworth in Bolton on Thursday 5 January 2023.
Ms Marten was believed to have very recently given birth at the time of the disappearance, and had not received professional medial care.
Over the coming days following their initial disappearance, sightings of the couple were reported in a number of places across the UK – including Liverpool, Essex, south London and East Sussex.
Police and local authorities believed the then-missing couple had been sleeping rough in a blue tent, and had avoided being traced by moving around frequently and keeping their faces covered in CCTV images.
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But yesterday, after nearly two months of searching, it was confirmed by the Metropolitan Police and Sussex Police that shortly before 9:30pm on Monday 27 February, a member of the public reported a sighting of the couple in Stanmer Villas in Brighton, and officers attended the location and subsequently arrested the pair.
They were initially arrested on suspicion of child neglect, police confirmed, and were later further arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
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The couple remain in custody – but the search for their missing baby has now entered the second day, with police issuing the latest update and public appeal last night.
Over 200 officers from multiple units in the Met and Sussex Police are currently involved in the search for the newborn, with a police helicopter, sniffer dogs, thermal imaging cameras, and drones also being used to assist officers on the ground.
“Throughout this investigation, our key priority has been finding the baby, and we remain committed to that,” explained Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford in last night’s appeal, adding that there is “a significant amount of police search activity in open spaces to the north of Brighton near to where the couple were arrested.”
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To aid in their search, police are appealing to members of the public between Brighton and Newhaven to report any potential sightings or information about where the couple may have been sleeping.
“I’d also ask people living in these areas to report any suspicious behaviour or items found in their gardens, outbuildings, and sheds, between then and now,” DS Basford added.
“Equally, if you are out walking in these areas and you discover something you think we should know about, please don’t hesitate to contact us, no matter how insignificant it may seem.”
Police say support from the public throughout the search and investigation has, and continues to be, “vital”, but they are asking people to “remain vigilant” as their searches continue.
Anyone with any sightings or information that could assist the search is asked to call the Met Police’s incident room on 0208 3453 865 or 999 with anything they believe may be significant.
Featured Image – GMP
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Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK, and it’s joined by two other Greater Manchester towns in the top 10.
Talk about a not-so-coveted title, right?
From damp flats to poorly-ventilated houses, the battle against mould seems to be constant for many UK residents, and while Awaab’s Law – which was named in memory of Rochdale toddler, Awaab Ishak, and introduced back in 2023 – was brought in to tackle this very problem, by mandating faster response times from social housing landlords for dealing with damp-related issues, the problem still continues for homeowners and tenants alike despite this new legislation.
And now, some new research by thermal imaging experts at Tester has revealed where the ‘mouldiest’ places to live in the UK are.
Tester measured the average monthly search volume for various mould-related terms over the past 12 months – including ‘mould removal cost’, and ‘black mould removal’ – to figure out where the mouldiest places in the country are, and devise a top 10 list.
Bolton takes the title of the UK’s mouldiest place, according to the new research, with an average monthly search volume for mould-related terms of 945 per 100,000 people, and ‘magic mould’ being the most-searched term as residents seem eager to find a simple solution to their ever-growing mould problems.
Top 10 ‘mouldiest’ places in the UK
Bolton
Croydon
Manchester
Bath
Bristol
Lincoln
Bournemouth
Norwich
Stockport
Wakefield
Manchester places third on the list, with an average monthly search volume of 922 per 100,000 people, and Stockport also features in the less-than-ideal top 10 at number nine.
Croydon in London claims the runner-up spot on the list, while Bath and Bristol round out the top five alongside Manchester, and Lincoln, Norwich, and Wakefield are some of the other areas to make up the top 10.
A spokesperson for Tester admitted that the surge in searches for mould-related terms in the UK is “worrying to say the least”.
Speaking on the findings from the team’s new research, they continued in a statement: “The study shows that UK residents are actively seeking out mould removal solutions, pointing to a wider problem of mould and mildew growth in homes not being properly dealt with, either by landlords or homeowners themselves.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Man arrested for running around Dunham Massey wearing nothing but a pair of walking boots
Daisy Jackson
A man has been arrested for running around local beauty spot Dunham Massey almost entirely naked.
And according to Greater Manchester Police, it’s not even the first time he’s stripped off in the fields…
While most Mancs will head to the beautiful National Trust site to take in the views of the local wildlife, a handful of walkers got more than they bargained for last week.
The man in question has previously been reported for passing through the Trafford green space starkers, leading to his arrest on 2 May.
He was arrested last week for indecent exposure – and his choice of outfit didn’t leave much to the imagination.
The man was clocked running around Dunham Massey completely naked but for a pair of walking boots.
GMP said: “Male arrested for indecent exposure after being seen running around Dunham Massey naked apart from a pair of walking boots!!
“We have had a number of complaints of this guy doing this previously causing alarm, and so action has been taken.”
Male arrested for indecent exposure after being seen running around Dunham Massey naked apart from a pair of walking boots!! We have had a number of complaints of this guy doing this previously causing alarm, and so action has been taken.
— Altrincham Police (GMP) (@GMPAltrincham) May 2, 2024
One person joked: “Completely inappropriate to go running like that… you’ll never get a PB in walking boots.”
The weather has been pretty nice over the last few days, with temperatures around Manchester climbing all the way to 22 degrees.
And some experts are predicting that Britain could be set for a heatwave with temperatures of 30°C and over in just over a month’s time.
Even if we do get an unseasonably warm spring though, probably best to keep your kecks on while you’re out hiking…