Searches continue for missing Horden man Aaron Clifton

Aaron Clifton, 35, was last seen in Horden on 10 April. Credit: Durham Police

A community is carrying out searches to try and find a man missing for more than a week.

Aaron Clifton, from Horden, in County Durham, was last seen on 10 April.

Friends and family of the 35-year-old have been carrying out searches near his home to try and find him.

He was last seen at around 8am on Monday 10 April, leaving his friends home in Horden.

  • Video report by Julia Breen.

He is described as around 5ft 5inches, slim build with dark hair, stubble and was wearing a black tracksuit with white stripes down the leg.

Friend Billy Raymond told ITV Tyne Tees that members of the community are meeting on Friday 21 April to carry out their own searches to try and find Mr Clifton.

Mr Clifton is known to frequent the Castle Eden Dene area and Horden Beach.

Friends and family of Aaron Clifton have been searching near his home in Horden to find him. Credit: Family

Chief Inspector Neal Bickford, of Durham Police, said: “We are very concerned for the welfare of Aaron, who hasn’t been seen for 11 days now and the more time goes by without a positive outcome the more that concern is heightened.

“We have allocated significant resources to finding Aaron, including dedicated search specialists in place to co-ordinate the work of the search teams on the ground and detailed intelligence activity taking place in the background.

“That includes coordinated efforts with mountain rescue teams who are searching those areas where intelligence suggests he is most likely to be, particularly in the Castle Eden Dene area and Horden Beach.

“Clearly, this is a very difficult time for Aaron’s family and friends and we are doing everything we can to support them and keep them informed of progress in the search.

“If anyone has seen Aaron, or knows anything about his whereabouts, I’d urge them to contact us immediately”.

Jo Youle from the charity Missing People said it is even more important that the proper resources are used to help find those who go missing and are also considered vulnerable.

She added: "We know that the police have got the statutory duty to search for people that are at high risk when they're missing.

"It's really important that when somebody is considered at high risk, which is when there's a vulnerability there, it might be something like a mental health issue, somebody feeling like they've been struggling with something, that the resources are out in to help find missing people."

Anyone who has seen Aaron is asked to contact PC Watson, from Durham city response on 101 quoting incident number 418 of 10 April.

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