Families of missing Didcot workers: Get them out

The families of three missing workers trapped in the Didcot power station say they are heartbroken that rescue work has halted.

"It's heartbreaking... we want our men home," Jade Ali, the partner of one of the men said.

The men, thought to be John Shaw, Ken Cresswell and Chris Huxtable, have been missing since the collapse two weeks ago, but the Health and Safety Executive say the site is too dangerous for the recovery operation to continue.

Ms Ali, the who is the partner of missing Chris Huxtable told reporters:

Ms Ali has also started a petition calling for more to be done to get them out, which has so far been signed by 1,296 people.

In the petition she says: "We need them home. Minutes are turning into hours, and days are turning into weeks. Get these three hard-working men out and back home."

John Howley, the uncle of Mr Cresswell, signed the petition on Sunday and called the delay in getting to the missing men "diabolical".

He said: "It is just the uncertainty - you are hoping that they are still alive in there but you have got to be realistic and think that it has been going on too long now.

"It just seems they are dragging their heels - if demolishing the rest of the building is the only way they are going to get at them then they need to get on with it."

Describing his nephew, Mr Howley said: "He was a good lad - a real grafter."

The power station collapsed almost two weeks ago while workers were preparing to demolish it.

Worker Mike Collings was killed and three others were trapped inside the rubble.

Thames Valley Constable Scott Chilton said last week the structure is still "unsafe" and they are seeking "specialist advice" on how to progress.

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: "We fully understand the anguish the families of the three missing workers will be experiencing.

"The priority of the multi-agency response remains the recovery of the bodies to their families.

"Given the risks, scale and complexity of the incident and that the building collapsed without warning, emergency services have had to strike a very difficult balance between helping those trapped and injured, recovering the bodies and the need to avoid further harm on the site."