Teams brave snow in fresh search for missing dad

The family of a man missing for three months say they hope a major search effort will help to find him "for his children's sake".

Thomas Roche, 27, was last seen at 12:30 BST on 6 October when he left the flat he shared with his girlfriend in Chester Close, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, for a cigarette.

His sister Carly Roche, 35, said three days before he disappeared, he had suffered a head injury after being struck by a car while cycling.

She said it was "absolutely amazing" that nine teams of volunteers braved the snow and rain on Sunday to help search nearby villages and woodland.

Aerial searches have also been taking place in January, carried out by the charity Civil Air Support.

"Regardless of the weather, Tom is still out there somewhere. What's it going to matter if we're going to be cold for a few hours when he could potentially have been cold for the last three months?" said Ms Roche.

She said it had been very out of character for the dad of five to go missing.

His family, including his mother and his twin brother Reece, have been out searching for him most days after he disappeared leaving his phone, money and cards.

Mr Roche's partner Casey Cooper said: "I'm hoping we can bring him home, to his family, his children and me."

"It's more for his children's sake that we need to find him today."

Ms Roche said after the accident, police were called and Mr Reece was taken to hospital "but we believe he did not have a scan on his head".

She said she feared his head injury may have played a part in his disappearance.,

She said he had been found walking out of a field, disorientated and complaining that "one minute it was light and the next minute it was dark".

Thames Valley Police, which issued an appeal in October, urged anybody with any information, no matter how insignificant, to get in touch.

Ms Roche said the search teams had gone to woodland, villages and abandoned buildings, armed with posters to raise awareness.

"We're asking the public if maybe there's been a lone man turning up in their village, or maybe someone's shed has been broken into and slept in.

"Try to get a good glimpse of him, to see if it could be Tom".

An earlier search on Weasel Lane, not far from Mr Reece's flat, found an empty Monster energy drink can with his DNA on it, but detectives could not confirm how long it had been there.

Ms Roche said police had previously flown helicopters and drones over Woburn Woods, and searches had also taken place at Cosgrove, Northamptonshire, where he visited.

Andy Burrows, who helped to look in Linslade Woods, said: "It's a vast area; I know it quite well.

"I know there's been a few sightings that way, so hopefully he's sheltered away somewhere. Particularly in this weather, I'd like to think he's found a shelter or reached out to a friend.

"We hope he will know he's loved and that people want him home."

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