Bush hunt for lost toddler

30 police act on latest tip-off

UP to 30 police combed dense bushland on the NSW midnorth coast yesterday as part of the investigation into missing toddler William Tyrrell, but police say their latest tip-off was “very general”.

About 30 police from the Homicide Squad, Riot Squad, Dog Unit and Water Police arrived at bush near Bonny Hills, south of Port Macquarie, just after 9am yesterday.

The latest search follows a tip-off and information gathered by homicide detectives.

Police said the new information in the case of William, 3, who disappeared more than five months ago, was not related to location of a body.

“There is always that possibility but we are searching for evidence at this point,” Homicide Squad commander Superintendent Mick Willing said.

“All I want to say is that the information is very general, it is not that specific.”

The search, which covers several kilometres, is expected to run for a few days.

Supt Willing said it would not be the last search in the investigation.

Police believe William was snatched from a quiet street in Kendall, where he had been visiting his grandmother, on September 12 last year.

He disappeared when his mother went inside to make a cup of tea.

In January, police raided the home of washing machine repairman William “Bill” Spedding, who had been due to fix William’s grandmother’s washing machine about the time William vanished. However, he did not carry out the repairs that day.

Mr Spedding has denied any involvement in William’s disappearance.

Police said at the “very highest” Mr Spedding was a person of interest but not the only person of interest.