Leah Croucher: No discoveries after search of lake

Specialist officers searching for missing woman Leah Croucher say their recent search of a lake in Bletchley produced no results.

Officers began looking for the 20-year-old on 9 October, using dive teams, search dogs and drones, but concluded the operation on Thursday, 24 October.

Leah went missing on the morning of 15 February, when she left home in Milton Keynes. She was last seen on Buzzacott Lane just after 8am.

The search - at Blue Lagoon Nature Reserve - was launched after someone reported seeing a hoodie similar to the one Leah was wearing when she disappeared there.

Detective Superintendent Andy Howard, of Thames Valley Police, said: “The search activity has concluded and I am confident that no items linking Leah to this location have been found.

“The search was undertaken following a report from a member of the public of seeing a hoody matching the grey hoody worn by Leah at that location in late February to early March.

"This report was received by the investigation team in late September and enquiries were undertaken to assess how and if it was connected to Leah’s disappearance.

“I am aware that there have been comments on social media that are critical of the report only being made recently but it is clear from speaking to the witness that there are genuine reasons why this happened and that they were acting in absolute good faith.

“I am grateful to this person for coming forward and would again urge anybody with information about Leah, no matter how insignificant they think it may be to speak to the police."

Police say anyone with information about her disappearance should phone 101, quoting reference 43190049929 or Operation Dawlish.