Community search party looks for missing student

Crowds gathered near Brunel Brudge on Wednesday

A search party has gathered in the last place a missing student was seen.

Since his disappearance in Bristol on 2 March, Jack O'Sullivan's family have been studying CCTV footage in a bid to trace his footsteps.

The 23-year-old, who studies in the city, has not been seen or heard from since leaving a party in Hotwells on the night of his disappearance.

His mother, Catherine O'Sullivan, said: "We don’t understand what’s happened and life for us can’t go forward until we have an answer."

Jack O'Sullivan has been missing since the early hours of 2 March

It was previously reported that Mr O'Sullivan was last seen on CCTV at 03:15 GMT in the area of Brunel Lock and Brunel Way.

But his family have reviewed more footage and believe they have found new evidence showing him walking back towards the Hotwells and Clifton area about 10 minutes later, moving the timeline of events along.

A search party made up of members of the community gathered in the area on Wednesday.

The family have been reviewing CCTV footage since Mr O'Sullivan disappeared

Mrs O'Sullivan said she "kept rewinding" the CCTV footage and viewed it "probably about 20 times" after instantly recognising her son.

"I couldn’t quite believe that I hadn’t seen it before."

She also added that at least 13 vehicles can be seen passing him.

Mr O'Sullivan's father, Alan, said: "It brings Hotwells back into the equation - that’s the major change."

The group plan to follow in Mr O'Sullivan's last known footsteps

Kim Rodgers told the BBC she "just wants to be involved in trying to help."

"If we could find just something - a phone, or something he's dropped, just to pinpoint where he was last seen really," she said.

Margaret Ahern, who lost her son aged 23, added: "I'm doing it for the family of Jack and we just hope we find something belonging to him.

"I know how his family must be feeling."

Jack O'Sullivan with his older brother, Ben, and their parents, Catherine and Alan

Mr O'Sullivan's friend Xavier Plassier said people close to him "wanted answers".

He added: "He was genuinely the nicest guy I've ever met. He could speak to anyone about anything."

Deborah Nelms said her children went to the same college as Mr O'Sullivan.

"It could have been one of our children quite easily," she said.

"If I was them, I would want people to turn out. It's been on our mind ever since he's been gone."

Kim Rodgers said she wanted to do what she could to help

According to Avon and Somerset Police, Mr O'Sullivan attempted to call a friend who was still at the party at 03:24.

When the friend called back 10 minutes later, Mr O'Sullivan answered, only managing to say "hello" before the call cut off.

However, his phone remained active on the Find My Friends app until 06:44.

Xavier Plassier said Mr O'Sullivan was "the nicest guy" he had ever met

"We function, we get up, we’re able to probably take it hour-by-hour some days, rather than day-by-day," Mrs O'Sullivan said.

"This has just consumed us to a point where there isn’t anything else."

She said she always leaves an outdoor light on, just in case he comes home.

“That might seem a bit bizarre to some people, but I think as a mother, you’d get it," she said.

Catherine and Alan O'Sullivan said the support they have been given in the search for their son has been "fantastic"

Avon and Somerset Police has appealed for anyone who may have been driving in the Cumberland Basin area, or who may have dashcam footage, to come forward.

Mr O'Sullivan is described as white, about 5ft 10ins (178cm) tall, of slim build and with short, brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a quilted green/brown Barbour jacket over a beige woollen jumper, navy chinos and brown leather trainers with white soles.