Taylor Charlton: Police issue plea in desperate search for boy, 14, last seen near Tesco store
People involved in a desperate search for a 14-year-old boy last seen more than a week ago have been urged by police to stop flying drones as fears for the teenager grow.
Taylor Charlton was last seen near a Tesco supermarket in the Seven Brethren area of Barnstaple, North Devon, on May 8.
Specialist officers from Devon and Cornwall Police, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, RNLI and HM Coastguard are leading the search for the teenager, particularly around the River Taw.
Hundreds of people also joined efforts to find Taylor by sharing messages and pictures on social media or searching the ground; However, some volunteers’ use of drones raised concerns for authorities.
Inspector Andy Wills said on Monday: “We would ask the public not to fly drones in the area while this search is ongoing. Drone flights near ongoing emergency services are prohibited until further notice. Using drones in or near the area poses a significant risk to the safety of emergency personnel and may hinder the investigation.”
“We know how much people want to help, if you are out and about please be careful and avoid putting yourself at risk, including entering unsafe buildings or approaching water.”
“I sincerely thank everyone who has supported the search so far and shared their information with us,” he said.
Taylor is described as approximately 6 feet tall, muscular, with dark brown hair and a moustache. She was last seen wearing a bright blue top, jeans and bright blue Nike shoes.
Over the weekend the force said it was “keeping all avenues of investigation open” and added that one hypothesis was that Taylor may have entered the River Taw.
A pair of shoes believed to belong to Taylor was found near the river in the Tarka Road area between Sticklepath and Bickington.
The Facebook group “Find Taylor Charlton” has more than 8,000 members and allows sharing of images of Taylor and searched locations.
Anyone who has seen Taylor or knows his whereabouts is asked to call 999 quoting reference number 50260117084.
