‘Spotted’ on a volcano and at ex-nazi colony

THERE are a huge number of theories on what became of Lord Lucan and long list of “sightings” – from backpacking on a volcano to living as a hippy in India.

Some believe he boarded a ferry at Newhaven, others think he got on a private jet at Headcorn in Kent to fly across the Channel where he was picked up by a limo.

And one source insisted he had committed suicide and his body was then fed to tigers at the Kent zoo owned by his pal John Aspinall.

Det Chief Supt Roy Ranson, who led the original murder investigation, claimed in his book that he believed Lucan fled to Africa with the help of influential friends. He was convinced that the discovery of Lucan’s car in Newhaven was a red herring.

He also believed Lucan flew to Portugal in a private plane belonging to former Formula One champion Graham Hill, who died in 1975. Later “evidence” suggested that Lucan was in Mozambique in 1975.

HIPPY

The first reported sighting of Lucan was in January 1975 when he was supposedly spotted in Melbourne, Australia.

Five months later he was “seen” in France at Cherbourg and St Malo. Police in South Africa examined fingerprints, supposedly left on a beer glass by Lucan in Cape Town.

Sightings were reported in southern Africa, first in Mozambique and then Zimbabwe, and there were even claims he lived in India as a hippy called “Jungle Barry”.

He was also “spotted”at an ex-nazi colony in Paraguay, a sheep station in the Australian outback and backpacking on Mt Etna, Sicily.

In 1978, Barbados Police were asked by Scotland Yard to investigate reports that a British resident was sending money to Lord Lucan in South America.

An ITV drama claimed the peer had been spirited away by wealthy friends, including

Sir James Goldsmith and Aspinall.

In 2007, the search switched to New Zealand after claims he had been living in a car while, in 2012, his brother Hugh Bingham said he was “sure” Lucan had fled to Africa.

Other theories suggest Lucan was held to ransom by the IRA. BBC South East in 2009 opened up the possibility he disguised himself with surgery. But Lady Lucan said he had admitted killing the nanny by accident.

She insisted he did “the honourable thing” and jumped off a ferry leaving Newhaven.