Nan's plea for return of grandson with Asperger’s

Mary Richardson said the last three weeks since Martyn went missing had been "a nightmare" for the family

The family of a missing 27-year-old who has Asperger’s syndrome has made an emotional appeal for his return.

Martyn Richardson was last seen on 24 August in Bocking, near Braintree after leaving a family birthday party.

His blue bike was found three days later in fields near the River Blackwater.

"Just come home please, Martyn - we all love you", his nan Mary Richardson told the BBC.

Martyn was described as "sensitive and loving"

Ms Richardson said her grandson had lived with her since the age of one and had kept in regular contact with her.

"It’s very out of character," she said.

"Without phoning me 10 times a day or texting, he doesn’t go anywhere without letting me know where he is."

The last three weeks had been "an absolute nightmare" for the family, Ms Richardson said, adding that Martyn’s Asperger’s made him even more vulnerable.

"It doesn’t seem possible that someone can just disappear."

Posters have been put up in the area where Martyn was last seen in Bocking

Martyn’s uncle, Lee Richardson, said the unexpected nature of his nephew’s disappearance was "one of the most distressing things".

"It’s not something we think he would have done himself," he told the BBC, adding that Martyn had been "in good spirits" at the party.

"It’s hard to imagine that he would be able to communicate with us and hasn’t - if he could make contact, he would have."

'Increasingly concerned'

Martyn was last seen wearing a grey hoodie with a long-sleeved top underneath and a stripe down the arms, black fleece shorts, and black shoes.

Specialist officers, assisted by Essex Search and Rescue, have searched fields near the River Blackwater, as well as in the river itself.

Essex Police is looking to identify four people, including three dog walkers, who might have vital information about Martyn, who the force said it was "growing increasingly concerned for… with each day since he was last seen".

"We remain open-minded about what’s happened to him and our aim is still to bring him home safely," Insp Phil Jackson said.

Anybody with information is urged to contact Essex Police, quoting incident 324 of 25 August.