Specialist police searching Billingham lake area for missing teenager Lewis Penfold-Roche

Northumbria Police Marine Unit in Billingham as officers search the area for missing teenager Lewis Penfold Roche. Credit: Cleveland Police

Specialist police are searching in the area of a Teesside lake for an 18-year-old who has been missing for more than a month.

Officers from Northumbria Police’s Marine Unit have joined Cleveland Police officers to carry out additional searches in the area of Charlton’s Pond, in Billingham, for Lewis Penfold-Roche.

Lewis was last seen at about 6pm on Sunday 28 January, on Station Road, in Billingham, heading towards Central Avenue.

Police teams have been searching Charlton’s Pond for Lewis Penfold-Roche. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

Specialist search teams have already carried out searches of the area, including railway lines and embankments.Extensive enquiries with Lewis’ family and friends have been carried out and officers have scoured hours of CCTV footage.

Last week, neighbourhood officers delivered hundreds of leaflets to homes in the area near where Lewis was last seen, asking residents to check their sheds and outhouses for any signs of disturbance or anyone living there.

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Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Chris Pringle, said: “Further searches are being carried out today as we continue our efforts to try to locate Lewis, more than a month since he went missing.

“We continue to appeal to anyone who may have information regarding Lewis’ whereabouts, or anyone who may have seen him, to come forward and speak to police.“We also again urge Lewis, if he is reading this, to let us know that he is safe and to reiterate that he won’t be in any trouble. There are lots of people who are very concerned for him and just want to know that he’s safe and well.”

Lewis is said to have a London accent. He is described as 6ft tall with mousey brown hair which is short on the sides and longer on the top.

Police teams have already search parts of the Billingham area. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

He was last seen wearing a dark red coat, a green/silver backpack with the word “Hype” written on it, black jogging bottoms, a black skeleton jumper and dark grey Adidas trainers. He may now have changed his clothing.

Anyone who may have seen Lewis, or anyone who knows his whereabouts, is asked to contact Cleveland Police as a matter of urgency on 101.

People are asked to contact police directly in the first instance, rather than report sightings on social media so officers can respond immediately, quoting reference number 017293. Alternatively, go online here.

Any CCTV, dash cam or ring doorbell footage of Lewis can be uploaded here.

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