Lamplugh search fails to find body

Police may yet resume their search of woodland

Police looking for the body of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh have drawn a blank in their search of woodland.

The week-long search of Quantock Hills, in Somerset, ended on Saturday evening without the police finding any clues.

But the search may yet be resumed and the area widened, once information received from the public is assessed, a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said.

Suzy Lamplugh went missing in 1986

"Members of the public who use the area have given police information which we need to appraise," she said.

Miss Lamplugh, who was 25, has not been seen since she left to show a mystery man calling himself Mr Kipper around a property in Fulham, south west London in 1986.

Her Ford Fiesta car was recovered the same day about a mile away.

A team of 20 officers spent the past week searching the area near the village of Nether Stowey.

Police said it had taken no longer than expected because new areas were searched following further information received from the public.

DCI Dickie is 'optimistic' of finding Suzy's body

A police spokesman said earlier that he could not comment further on reports that a local man had come forward saying a member of his family had seen a man digging in that area at about the same time as Miss Lamplugh went missing.

Det Chief Insp Jim Dickie, who is leading the operation, said earlier this week that he was "optimistic" that officers would find Miss Lamplugh's body.

She was declared dead in 1994.

A two day search two months ago of a site close to Norton army barracks near Worcester also failed to find a body.

Investigation reopened

Last May the investigation was reopened and an appeal was made on the BBC's Crimewatch UK programme.

Police also appealed for more information about a dark, left-hand drive BMW car that a jogger saw in Fulham at the time of Suzy's disappearance.

The witness said he saw a blonde young lady in the car who looked like she was screaming for help.

The jogger's testimony was initially discounted by police because it did not fit into their timescale of events.

He also said the woman had blonde hair.

Miss Lamplugh had her hair highlighted a week before she was abducted.

Anyone with information can call the police on 020 7321 9251 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.