Whinlatter Forest, scene of the search
More than 60 mountain rescue team members today joined a major hunt for a woman missing in the Lake District.
Six search and rescue dogs and rescuers from six different teams have been searching the fells around the Whinlatter Forest for missing mother-of-four Deborah Anne Pearson.
Dr Pearson was last seen on Tuesday 21 December when she left her home in Thornthwaite, 5km (3 miles) north-west of Keswick.
Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team was joined by colleagues from the Kirkby Stephen, Patterdale, Penrith, Keswick and Wasdale teams in the search led by police search advisers.
The operation centred on the Thornthwaite, Whinlatter, Moorgill, Noble Knott and Lord’s Seat areas. Dr Pearson’s black Volvo XC90 – a large 4×4 car – registration number YG54 WWK, was found by police abandoned in a car park near Whinlatter Forest visitor centre on Wednesday 22 December.
Other than her car, no further trace of Dr. Pearson has been located and her phone and bank cards have not been used since she disappeared.
Deborah Anne Pearson
Police are appealing to walkers to report any findings of the woman. The 43-year-old is described as 5ft 10in (1.78m) tall, slim with curly, shoulder-length hair.
She sometimes wears spectacles and was last seen wearing a grey coat, grey cardigan and a long, bottle green skirt, tights and boots.
Today’s search concentrated on the route between her home in the village of Thornthwaite and Whinlatter Forest. Police say they are increasingly concerned for the welfare of the married woman, and officers have also conducted extensive house to house enquiries, issued appeals at local guest houses, hotels and transport providers and given out leaflets to homes and businesses in the local area.
The mountain rescue teams were stood down today after failing to find Dr Pearson.
Previous searches have included a Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer and the Lancashire Police helicopter using heat-seeking and night-vision equipment to help them see in the snow.
Any walkers who may have seen Dr Pearson, or who or saw her car being driven on Tuesday or Wednesday should call Cumbria Police on 0845 33 00 247.
