HOW THE HUNT UNFOLDED
Friday, December 8 2.15pm – Gaynor Lord makes phone call to friend Julie Butcher who is too busy to talk. 2.44pm – Gaynor is working at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement of Jarrolds department store in Norwich. 1
2.45pm-2.46pm – She leaves the store via the loading bay on Bedford Street.
2.47pm – She walks on to London Street past the Cosy Club. 2
2.48pm – Gaynor makes her way on to Queen Street and walks towards Norwich Cathedral. 3
3.22pm – Gaynor is seen on The Close at the cathedral entrance. Shortly before exiting through the archway she puts her coat on. 4 3.23pm – She is seen to walk away from the cathedral on Queen Street. It is possible to see a clear image of her coat. 5
3.49pm – This is the last sighting of Gaynor on CCTV near Norwich Playhouse on St George’s Street. 6
3.53pm – She walks along St Crispin’s Road towards Pitt Street. 7
4.01pm – Gaynor walks up St Augustine’s Street. It is her final movements captured in CCTV before going missing. 4.05pm – Possible sighting of Gaynor in a yoga pose in Wensum Park.
4.15pm – Phone call made to Julie Butcher but she does not speak and may have accidentally “pocket dialled”.
8.10pm – Police are alerted to Gaynor’s disappearance after her possessions are discovered in Wensum Park. ID is found in her handbag at the scene.
Gaynor’s clothing – including a white shirt, yellow tank top plus two rings and her mobile phone and glasses – are found in the park in various locations. Her olive-coloured coat is discovered in the water.
Water-based searches have been carried out since last Friday involving the police marine unit, Norfolk Fire and Rescue, Coastguard and Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue. Saturday, December 9 – Wensum Park is closed off as specialist search officers carry out extensive inquiries. Monday, December 11 – Sonar equipment is used by the marine unit, Norfolk Fire and Rescue and the coastguard, but nothing is discovered.
Tuesday, December 12 – The search of the River Wensum resumes with drones and teams in inflatable boats. Wednesday, December 13 – Underwater search teams from Lincolnshire Police arrive to assist Norfolk officers. Thursday, December 14 – Police say they have not been able to establish Gaynor’s state of mind with “any degree of confidence”. Chief Supt Dave Buckley tells reporters that the force is keeping an open mind about what happened. However, he stresses that “everything we know is pointing to a high probability that Gaynor went into the water”.