Missing plane search scaled down

An air and sea search for two Bridlington people whose light aircraft went missing a week ago in Europe has been called off.

Headteacher Joyce French and her friend Bernard Hunter, owner of Busy Bees fish and chip shop chain, disappeared after leaving southern Spain last Friday.

They failed to arrive at their first scheduled stopover in France later that day.

The Spanish authorities say they will continue to search on the ground.

The pair had planned a four-hour flight from Le Startit in Spain to St Secondon in France.

While everyone hopes she will be found safe and well, the likelihood now is that she may not have survived Jon Mager, friend

The last radio message from the plane was at 1030 local time from a location believed to be at Rosace in Spain.

It is feared it may have crashed in the Pyrenees in a notorious area for bad weather.

The alarm was raised after a friend of the pair contacted Humberside police saying they were missing.

Although Humberside Police are not involved in the investigation, they are helping the French and Spanish authorities.

Jon Mager, director of Lifelong Learning for East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: "While everyone hopes she (Ms French) will be found safe and well, the likelihood now is that she may not have survived.

"Joyce has been a loyal and constructive critical friend."

The pair set off for their European trip from a small airfield near Diffield in August.