Danielle police search drains

Danielle Jones has been missing since June

Police are using specialist cameras to explore a disused sewage works near the home of missing teenager Danielle Jones.

The small cameras, attached to poles, were being fed into 20 water and oil-filled underground compartments at the isolated site next to an industrial estate in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex.

Detectives investigating Danielle's disappearance hope to find something which may lead them to discover the whereabouts of the 15-year-old.

The teenager has not been seen since she left her home in East Tilbury, Essex, to catch the bus to school on 18 June.

'Dangerous areas'

The teenager, who had not gone missing before and who took no spare clothing, did not get on the bus and did not arrive at St Clere's School in Stanford-le-Hope.

Sergeant Steve Kettle, a search advisor with Essex Police, said: "There is nothing specific to suggest we are going to find anything in relation to Danielle Jones, but it's an area people have access to.

Danielle's parents have made several appeals

"Some of these areas are too dangerous to put drivers into so we are using the cameras."

The expertise of private firm Spartan Rescue is also being used by police to carry out the searches which are expected to last three days.

Mark Burnett, of Spartan Rescue, said the infra-red cameras could pick up a clear image underwater.

The image from the camera is fed to a live video link watched by members of the search team.

'700 searches'

Sergeant Kettle added: "Every day bar two since Danielle's disappearance there have been at least three search teams deployed in Essex.

"We have carried out over 700 searches across a wide variety of terrain and buildings.

"We are now going back to areas already searched due to the recent flooding with a view that it may now give us something we haven't had before."

Last week Danielle's mother, Linda Jones, 41, made a fresh appeal for help for information on the eve of her daughter's 16th birthday.

Mrs Jones told a press conference at Grays police station in Essex how Danielle had been taken away just as she was blossoming into a young woman.

Police have confirmed six positive sightings of Danielle in the hours following her disappearance and one in Thurrock later the same day.

Danielle's uncle, builder Stuart Campbell, 43, from Grays, has been arrested on suspicion of her murder and is due to answer police bail on 13 November.