A POLICE search was continuing today for the driver of an abandoned car belonging to a Hampshire man found at Mudeford Quay on Saturday morning.

The Mudeford RNLI lifeboat, the police helicopter, coastguard teams and several police cars were all on the scene early yesterday in the search for the driver of the vehicle.

And on Sunday, the police helicopter was again seen searching the area of Christchurch Bay, hovering for some time over Mudeford Quay.

A pair of glasses and a coat were discovered on the quayside on Saturday, with the car found unlocked and the keys inside.

But mystery surrounds what has happened to the driver.

The car is registered to a man from Southampton.

 

 

 

 

A spokesperson for the Dorset Police confirmed that they were called at 6.39am with a report of the abandoned red Ford Focus.

They added that it was assumed that the driver was still in the area. The owner of the car has not yet been named.

Hampshire police are set to becomce involved should it become a missing person's inquiry. 

Daily Echo:

Dorset Police said its officers, the National Police Air Service helicopter and HM Coastguard were all searching to try and establish what happened to the driver.

Fisherman Pete Dadds, who is also a member of the RNLI crew, said the car was at the Quay when he arrived early Saturday, around 5.45am.

He discovered a pair of glasses and a coat on quayside.

"It's not unusual for people to leave stuff here but then I found the car was open and the keys were in there", he told the Daily Echo.

"I told my operations manager, who then alerted the coastguard and they contacted the police from there.

"I briefed the RNLI crew at Mudeford, who were then sent out as part of the search."

Officers remained on scene throughout the morning, liaising with members of the Southbourne Coastguard Unit.

Rebecca Laker, co-owner of The Fish Stall at the quay, said police had asked to see footage from their CCTV cameras first thing this morning.

She said the images show a car pulling up and a man walking down the steps to the water.

"It's very sad. We always see the RNLI going in and coming out. When I arrived and saw all the crews cars, I didn't think anything of it really. That's normal. It was only when I saw the police vehicles that I realised something had happened."

The Ford Focus was recovered from the quay around 11.40am on Saturday. Police officers then left the scene.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said this morning there was no update.