Hampshire hoax call sparked massive 5,000‑acre police search

From a busy roadside phone box came an anonymous message: "You will find the body of a woman called Susan opposite Blackbushe Airport."

An intensive hunt initially involved 30 police officers and tracker dogs, aided by 100 men from No.12 Training Regt Royal Corps of Transport and the Army Catering Corps who scoured shrub and waste ground. They were later supported by a further 20 police officers under the command of Det. Supt Cyril Holdaway, head of Hampshire CID, at the Bramshill Forestry Commission at Yateley Heath.

Search for body (Image: Echo)

The search began shortly after midday on June 7, 1968, lasting until dusk. It was resumed the following day until nearly 5,000 acres of countryside had been thoroughly covered. But no body was found, leading a police spokesman to comment on whether it had been a hoax: "Your guess is as good as mine. We've had this sort of thing before."

But there was no dispute about the identity of a woman who had plagued police with false calls. She was a repeat offender who simply wanted to return to prison where she felt safe.

In 1983, she got her wish - a three-year term.

Salisbury Crown Court heard how the 29-year-old became notorious for her mischief which every time caused the police, fire and military emergency services to be alerted and the public being shepherded to safety.

In what amounted to be her 11th such conviction, she warned a store a bomb had been planted in the premises - the day after she had been sentenced to 24 hours detention following two similar incidents.

Cyril Holdaway (Image: Echo)

Prosecutor Charles Parry told the hearing: "Her explanation to Bejam's was: 'I don't feel safe outside prison and I want to go back to Holloway,' she having been released from a sentence of imprisonment in October 1982."

Four months later, she was placed on probation for making yet another hoax call, he added.