Tears as Joanne parents meet team

Mr and Mrs Nelson met some of the officers involved in the hunt

The parents of Joanne Nelson broke down in tears as they met police search teams looking for her body.

Jean and Charlie Nelson thanked police officers and volunteers as they set out to comb countryside in East and North Yorkshire on Saturday morning.

Eight search teams will be going as far north as the A170 as well as visiting the Goole, Howden and Drax areas.

Miss Nelson, 22, was reported missing on 14 February. Her fiancé Paul Dyson, 30, has been charged with her murder.

It is vitally important to get Joanne back, we can't go on not knowing where she is Jean and Charlie Nelson

Her parents went to the operation's co-ordination centre at Walkington Police Stables in Walkington, near Beverley, East Yorkshire, early on Saturday.

Mrs Nelson broke down in tears as she saw the search teams for the first time.

She then spent about 10 minutes chatting privately with officers alongside her husband.

Although they did not want to speak, Mr and Mrs Nelson released a statement thanking those involved in the search, which enters its fourth week on Monday.

Targeted search

It said: "We have come here today to see the people involved in the search for Joanne and to thank them for the fantastic effort they have put in despite the terrible weather conditions and just to thank the public for their great response.

"It is vitally important to get Joanne back, we can't go on not knowing where she is.

"If any one does know anything about where she is, please contact the police."

A Humberside Police spokesman said the visit had given the search teams a boost and had helped reassure the parents that police were not giving up on finding their daughter.

Joanne Nelson worked at a JobCentre

He said: "I'm sure seeing Charlie and Jean Nelson will spur the search teams on even further.

"We also have an expectation that Joanne will eventually be found."

Volunteers from the Coastguard are joining police officers for this weekend's searches.

Hundreds of police officers, volunteers and soldiers were initially involved in the hunt for Ms Nelson's body.

Although it has been scaled down with teams targeting specific areas, detectives say they will carry on the search for at least another week.