Time loss man with family after mystery Swansea visit

Mark Stott has no idea how he came to be 75 miles from home

A man who suffered memory loss and 'came to' nine days later in Swansea has spoken of his delight at being reunited with his family.

Mark Stott, 42, sparked a full-scale police search when he disappeared from Frenchay Hospital in Bristol on 21 May.

He was found 75 miles away in Swansea with no memory of how he got there on Sunday, nine days after he disappeared.

Now he and his fiancée have thanked a stranger who probably saved his life.

The stranger saw a dishevelled Mr Stott in the car park of Sainsbury's at Quay Parade in Swansea and called an ambulance.

No memory

Partner Debbie Glasse, 37, told the BBC: "A shopper in the car park phoned the police when they saw Mark as he was obviously dazed. I am so grateful because he obviously looked like a homeless man and if they hadn't phoned we may never have got him back."

Mr Stott suffers from non-epileptic attack disorder (Nead), which can cause him to lose days at a time.

He has gone missing before but never for so long.

Mr Stott said: "It's so heart-warming. That person potentially saved my life and brought me back to my beloved family and then just melted away. I could be dead now if it wasn't for them."

Ms Glasse said Mr Stott's disappearance was "sheer hell" and she feared she and twin daughters Abigail and Amber, 20 months, may never see him again.

She said: "I thought the worst because last time he went missing he woke up on Severn Beach badly injured. I hit rock bottom but people around me kept me strong. We are just so delighted to have him home."

When Mr Stott was found he was sunburnt, covered in blisters, had lost a stone in weight and had no idea where he was or how long he had been missing. He also had no clue about the scale of the search conducted by Avon and Somerset Police back in Bristol.

Memory loss is just one of the ways Nead manifests itself and when he first saw Ms Glasse he did not recognise her.

She said: "It took him a while to realise where he was and who I was. It was very scary. We have no idea what he was doing but he keeps tasting Tarmac. It's possible he walked from Bristol to Swansea."

Mr Stott only began to suffer from Nead 14 months ago and had to give up his job as a driving instructor as a result. He is continuing treatment for the condition at Frenchay and is now fitted with two tracking devices in case he disappears again.

He said: "I'm still a bit bewildered as to what happened. It is difficult to get your head round losing so many days. I'm just so delighted to be home with all my girls."

The couple say they are indebted to both South Wales Police and Avon and Somerset Police for their help.