Charlotte police drain reservoirs

Charlotte Pinkney vanished in February

Water levels in two Devon reservoirs are be lowered to help search for 17-year-old Charlotte Pinkney.

Police search teams have already explored the water up to 18 metres from the edge of the Slade reservoirs.

The level of each reservoir will be lowered by about half in order that officers may search the bottom safely.

Charlotte, from nearby Ilfracombe, has been missing since February. A man has been charged with murder and appeared in court earlier this month.

Family's distress

Early on in the hunt for Charlotte, police divers searched the two reservoirs close to where she was last seen.

An operation to drain the water was suspended over Easter and police said at the time that there were no plans to resume the work.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Carney, said: "The investigating team is very aware that the continued searching is distressing for Charlotte's family.

Police have previously searched the area around the Slade Reservoirs

"But we are determined to recover any evidence that may be in the water, and by lowering the levels it means these searches can be carried out safely.

"We will not be carrying out speculative checks but will continue to search areas where enquiries lead us."

It could take five or six days to drain half of the lower reservoir.

That will then be searched before the upper reservoir level is reduced by refilling the lower level so water will not be wasted unnecessarily.

Charlotte Pinkney was last seen leaving a party in Ilfracombe in the early hours of 28 February.

She was reported missing on 4 March, two days before her birthday, when she failed to contact her parents.

Nicholas Rose, 22, from Foreland View in Ilfracombe, appeared before Exeter Crown Court on 8 April charged with her murder.

He made no plea and was remanded in custody until June.