MUM: GAIA’S HELD7 AGAINST HER WILL
Plea to find missing teen
THE mum of missing teen Gaia Pope fears she is being held captive.
In an emotional Facebook post, the 19-year-old’s mother Natasha begged people to “keep looking” for her daughter.
Actress Natasha, who starred in Inspector Morse and The Bill, wrote: “Backs of vans, in garages somewhere, she could be hidden against her will. Help us bring her back! Can’t bear it.’’
Gaia vanished nine days ago in Swanage, Dorset.
Drama student Nathan Elsey, 19, who was an extra in the war movie Dunkirk, and his 71-year-old gran Rosemary Dinch were arrested on suspicion of her murder on Tuesday.
They were both later released under investigation.
Searched
Yesterday police released new CCTV images of Gaia buying an ice-cream less than an hour before she went missing on November 7. The last reported sighting of her was at 3.39pm that afternoon at an address in Manor Gardens, Morrison Road, Swanage. Police divers yesterday searched a stream and a lake close to the town for clues. Meanwhile, Mrs Dinch’s former husband Gary Elsey said she was terminally ill, had to carry an oxygen cylinder and “couldn’t even murder a chicken”. Both she and Nathan are staying with Mr Elsey at his bungalow in Romsey, Hants. Mr Elsey, 69, said Nathan was “petrified” after his arrest. He also criticised police who he said should be “ashamed” of the way they conducted the investigation. Mr Elsey claimed: “They’re all bumbling like something out of Hot Fuzz.”