Cabbie tells of 'demented driver'

The taxi driver saw the car turn off to Studlands Park

A motorist wanted by police hunting Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman was driving like he was "demented", according to a key witness.

Taxi driver Ian Webster may have seen the 10-year-olds struggling in a car soon after their disappearance.

But he said he came forward as soon as he could, following criticism about the delay in his information being made public by police.

He saw a car containing two children driving strangely on the Sunday evening the girls disappeared.

I've done everything I possibly could, as soon as I possibly could

Ian Webster
Taxi driver

And he spoke to police in Brecon, Wales, where he was on business, on Wednesday 7 August about what he saw, because he said there was no detective available the day before.

But Cambridgeshire Police did not take his statement until the following Sunday and broadcast an appeal for similar information on Monday.

	:	Holly and Jessica
Maps showing focus of the investigation

Mr Webster, who lives in Newmarket, spotted the vehicle travelling along the A142 at 1900 BST on the evening the best friends disappeared.

The 56-year-old said: "This person was so distracted or demented, looking in different directions, because he was distracted for whatever reason.

"He was totally away from this world, in relation to his own safety."

He likened the driving to that of a drunk, and said the car "was wavering all across the road on both sides, hitting the banks both sides of the road.

"There were two small children obscured from vision, one in the front seat, one in the back seat behind the passenger seat."

Mr Webster and the police

Tues 6 Aug: Says he contacted police in Brecon but no CID officer was available

Wed 7 Aug: First interviewed by a detective, in person, and told the inquiry have been told

Fri 9 Aug: Returns to home town of Newmarket and contacts police

Sat 10 Aug: Spoke to a mobile police team

Sun Aug 11: Interviewed by inquiry officers

The taxi driver went to Dyfed-Powys Police in Brecon, south Wales, last Wednesday as soon as he thought what he had seen may be significant.

Mr Webster said he began trying to get a statement six days before the public appeal made by police and based on his information.

And he complained the publicity about the time-gap had implied he was to blame.

But he said: "The inference is I am at fault for not coming forward when this is not the case."

And he added: "My views are that in something of this nature, time would be of an essence and time was a priority.

"I find it incredible that they didn't respond sooner."

A spokeswoman from Dyfed-Powys Police said officers in Brecon were only contacted by Mr Webster on Wednesday last week, not Tuesday as he had claimed.

She added the information was immediately passed to the inquiry.

Mr Webster said he regretted not taking a registration number for the car, but said he feared for the safety of his own passengers because of the way it was being driven.

In pictures: 'Struggling' driver's route
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Officers believe the possible sighting may be a significant breakthrough in the case.

They said they dealt with this information as soon as they could, but are receiving about 1,000 calls a day.

Anyone with information should call police on 01480 422982.