Outback police to lift roadblocks

Police believe roadblocks have stopped the man fleeing

Police in Australia's Northern Territory are considering whether to lift roadblocks which have been in place since a British tourist, Peter Falconio, disappeared last week.

An extensive nine-day search has failed to produce any leads as to the identity of the man who attacked Mr Falconio and his girlfriend on an isolated road 150 miles north of Alice Springs.

But police are not ruling anything out and are even investigating e-mails from a person claiming to be a clairvoyant - in case it is someone who knows the attacker and wants to remain anonymous.

The couple were flagged down by the gunman

Police believe the gunman is still in the Northern Territory because roadblocks were put in place before he would have had the chance to leave.

But many locals in Alice Springs, who have been following the case of Mr Falconio and his girlfriend Joanne Lees, 27, believe the gunman has fled to neighbouring Queensland or Western Australia.

Newspaper reports in Australia say police have warned the public that the man may have changed his appearance after seeing media coverage of the e-fit provided by Miss Lees, who managed to escape the attack.

Click here to see map of the outback

Other reports suggest the gunman followed an English couple from camel races at Alice Springs before he ambushed them on the Stuart Highway on 14 July.

The pair had stopped their camper van to help a motorist who claimed the vehicle had broken down.

Ms Lees said she heard what she thought was a gunshot moments after Mr Falconio got out of the van.

Detectives issued an e-fit of the gunman

She said the mystery man then pulled her from the vehicle, tied her up and threw her into the back of his van.

Bound and gagged, Miss Lees managed to escape by crawling from the cabin through the opening.

She hid from the gunman for almost six hours before flagging down a passing truck and raising the alarm.

Police have been encouraged by the public response to an artist's sketch, released at the weekend, of the customised four-wheel drive utility van Ms Lees said the gunman was driving.

Police expect to show the couple's van to the press on Monday following forensic testing.

Click here to return