Bobbi-Anne McLeod: Neighbour who organised search for Plymouth teen pays tribute
A neighbour of Plymouth’s Bobbi-Anne McLeod has spoken of how she "sparkled" from the moment she arrived on the street as a toddler.
Chris Cooper lives in Leigham near where the 18-year-old lived with her family.
He told ITV News West Country he saw the teenager walk past his house on Saturday, November 20 - the day she disappeared.
“I thought it was my neighbour on the other side of me,” he said.
“I realised ‘oh, no, it’s Bobbi’. I see her all of the time so didn’t think anything of it.”
Watch Jacquie Bird's interview with Chris Cooper.
Bobbi-Anne was due to meet her friends in the city centre but never arrived. A body was found near Bovisand Beach in South Hams three days later.
Two men from Plymouth, aged 24 and 26, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in police custody.
The 18-year-old’s brother Lee has led the tributes online, posting on social media: “Until we meet again sis.”
Chris described Bobbi-Anne as a “frizzy-haired, smiley, bundle of joy”.
“She arrived in this street and from then, she just sparkled. She was well known all the way until this day. She was just a little bundle of joy.”
Chris described Bobbi-Anne as a “frizzy-haired, smiley, bundle of joy”.
“She arrived in this street and from then, she just sparkled. She was well known all the way until this day. She was just a little bundle of joy.”
He helped coordinate a search for Bobbi-Anne after she was reported missing.
He said seeing people volunteer who did not even know the teenager was a reflection of the Leigham community.
“It was a no-brainer,” he said, when asked about organising the search.
“Obviously, speaking with the family and Bobbi-Anne’s mum, I wanted to make clear that it was just to help the family and give them a bit of reassurance that they’re not on their own.
“The response we had was just incredible. Eighty per cent of the people who joined us on our search didn’t even know Bobbi and that’s a statement in itself.
“There were people there who are mums, aunties, uncles. It was overwhelming.”
A GoFundMe page was set up following Bobbi-Anne’s disappearance, which has so far raised more than £12,000.