The search for missing Workington man Nicholas Degraff has involved looking in gardens, sheds, woodland and the river, an inspector leading the investigation has said.
Officers were alerted at 12.30pm on Sunday that the 23-year-old had not returned home after he was last seen leaving a friend’s house at five o’clock that morning.
A major search was then launched and is still continuing, with police, fire, mountain rescue, coastguard, inshore rescue and volunteers all involved.
Nicholas left an address on Rosemary Gardens in Great Clifton and never made it to Workington.
“We launched a large-scale multi-agency response concentrated on the area he was last seen, looking in gardens, and sheds and woodland and the River Derwent in areas of Great Clifton to Camerton up to the coast to the Allonby area,” said Police Inspector Laura Boyd.
“One hypothesis is that he has come into contact with the water, which is why we are focussing on the River Derwent. The rescue has involved mountain rescue, fire brigade, coastguard, inshore rescue and volunteers. We are incredibly concerned for Nick.”
Officers and other agencies have been working all day every day, but “as soon as darkness comes we are limited to what we can do so we have to then pick back up in the morning,” added Police Inspector Boyd.
Anyone who has knowledge of Nicholas’ whereabouts is urged to call 999.
Nicholas is described as 5ft 10in, of slim build and with short, brown hair.
He has tattoos on his face and neck with spacer ear piercings.
He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black jogging bottoms, work boots and carrying a grey-coloured drawstring shoulder bag. He had an Alsatian dog with him.
Nicholas also had in his possession a 3M SPEED GLAS black welding mask – likely carried in a bag – which would be quite distinctive if found, police said.
Anyone with any other information is urged to report it at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit or call 101.
‘We are hopeful until he’s found’, inspector leading search for missing Workington man
Volunteers praised in search for missing Workington man Nicholas Degraff
‘Check dashcams, sheds and outbuildings,’ says inspector searching for Workington man
