Police had earlier revealed that mobile phone data showed that Corrie Mckeague's phone had travelled between Bury St Edmunds and Barton Mills on the morning of Saturday 24 September.

Acting Supt Kim Warner added: "Of course what we can't say is whether the phone was with Corrie or not", adding that while nothing so far had come up, it's "definitely a line of inquiry".

Image source, Suffolk Police

Nicola Urquhart appeals for anyone who saw her "good looking lad" in the early hours of Saturday, 24 September to get in touch - saying he would have been easily identifiable in his pink shirt and white trousers.

This is the P-51 Mustang that crashed yesterday, pictured on the runway at Seething Airfield, external near Norwich a couple of years ago. It's pilot was Maurice Hammond, who's a regular at airshows.

Image source, Ian Bamer

The following pictures show the same aircraft in flight at the Old Buckenham, external air show in July this year.

Mr Hammond, who's been seriously injured when the World War Two aircraft crashed, flew on the second day of the show.

They were taken by BBC reporter, Ian Barmer, who says the plane is "a beautiful machine... maintained to a very high standard". 

Image source, Ian Barmer

Image source, Ian Barmer

Image source, Ian Barmer

Image source, Ian Barmer

Acting Supt Kim Warner described Corrie Mckeague as a "very fit and healthy" man.

Police believe he may have set out to walk back to his RAF Honington base from Bury St Edmunds after a night out.

"The family tell me that he cared about his health and his fitness and nine miles wouldn't be a significant distance for him to march, not at all," he said.

Nicola Urquhart says she was in Suffolk visiting her son Corrie Mckeague a week and a half before he disappeared. "I know everybody says it, but we are an incredibly close family," she said.

She said she understood that people wanted to help in the search for her son, but made this appeal: "Check your garden, your own property, please, but leave the proper searching to the police, to the experts that know what they're doing."

A family spokesman says yesterday's aircraft crash, which killed a man in his 80s, and left a pilot from Eye with serious injuries, was a routine sortie.

Nik Coleman, who is acting as a spokesman for the family of the pilot Maurice Hammond, said the cause of the crash was unknown, adding: "It was a normal operational flight with two people on board.

"Anybody who lives in the Hardwick area will know that this type of flight goes on all the time. 

"Maurice had taken a passenger, as is perfectly normal, and was just flying a sortie in the local area."

When asked how she was bearing up, Corrie Mckeague's mother Nicola Urquhart told reporters: "Exactly how you would expect to bear up if it was your child. It's hard.

"I could sit here and talk about my son, and the man he is, and who he is, but I want you to keep saying to people please, come forward with information.

"This is about finding him, that's why we're here, to appeal for your help." 

She said he had never gone missing like this before: "This is not Corrie; he would not do this out of choice."

Corrie Mckeague's mother has thanked everyone involved in the search for her son, who's been missing since the early hours of Saturday, 24 September, saying: "We'd like him to come home. We'd like him to come home soon. Please get in touch."

Nicola Urquhart said: "If anybody knows anything get in touch, no matter how insignificant, get in touch with Suffolk Police."

A police press conference has been held to make further appeals for information about the disappearance of RAF serviceman Corrie Mckeague.

They say Mr Mckeague is part of a very close family, and was constantly in contact with his mother, brothers and friends.

Supt Kim Warner said: "It's highly unusual he wouldn't be in contact with any of those people.

"Today is a plea for any witnesses who may have information in relation to Corrie, where he may be, to please come forward."

Police press conference with the latest on the disappearance of Corrie Mckeague, is beginning at Bury St Edmunds police station:

Police are holding a press conference shortly at the Bury St Edmunds police station, to bring us the latest details of their investigation into the disappearance of RAF Honington-based serviceman Corrie Mckeague.

We're hoping to bring it live to you, via BBC Suffolk's Facebook page, external.

Kim Riley
BBC Look East

The wreckage of the Mustang aircraft, which crashed at Hardwick airfield yesterday, is being closely examined by the Air Accidents Investigators Branch.

The restored World War Two fighter hit the ground with its landing gear down and burst into flames. 

Its elderly passenger died at the scene while the pilot, Maurice Hammond, was seriously injured.

A family friend, Nik Coleman, gave me the latest infomation on Mr Hammond's condition, saying that he'd "been assessed, but was still sedated to help him recover from his injuries... he's stable at the moment".

Mr Coleman says his friend is "an astonishing pilot... among the world's best pilots, certainly one of the most experienced pilots in the UK on this type". 

He told me ground crew said the aircraft was operating perfectly normally and there were "no indications prior to the flight that there was any issue with it".

The P-51D Mustang which crashed at Hardwick airfield yesterday afternoon, had been restored about 15 years ago by the pilot, Maurice Hammond, who lives at Eye in Suffolk.

Nik Coleman, who's acting as a spokesman for the Hammond family, said: "This is not a 70-year-old aircraft - the core of the aircraft is of course original, and was 70-odd-years old, but in reality this is an aircraft that is around a decade old.

"It's been re-built absolutely from the ground up... and the engine in which Maurice specialises in re-manufacturing... is] a very recent engine.

"This is an aircraft in top, top condition."

A spokesman for the family of Maurice Hammond, who's under sedation at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital following the crash of a Mustang aircraft yesterday, says they "don't know" what happened.

Nik Coleman said: "The aircraft (pictured here flying in 2003) was operating normally to the best of our knowledge - it's maintained by the team, and by Maurice himself, to the highest possible standards.

"Anybody who knows Maurice and any of his aircraft will appreciate the level of competence and skill that's attached to this particular aircraft.

"Another aircraft that was operating with it reports that it was operating perfectly normally, so we are really in the hands of the Air Accident Investigation Branch, external to give us any kinds of answers."

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

The Air Accident Investigation Branch, external is getting on with working out what caused a plane to crash in south Norfolk yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Hardwick airfield where the Mustang had come down on the approach to the air base at around 15:30. 

Its pilot, Maurice Hammond, was seriously injured. His passenger, a man in his 80s, died.

Ch Insp Jason Broome, of Norfolk police, says their role now is to provide a sterile environment for investigators to operate in.   

Det Supt Paul Durham, the senior detective in charge of the investigation into the attempted abduction of a serviceman at RAF Marham has confirmed the inquiry is not being linked to the disappearance of a serviceman from RAF Honington at this time.

Norfolk police say speculative reports in the national media over the weekend suggested the inquiries may be linked.

Officers have confirmed at this stage there is no evidence to link the inquiries. 

Zoe Applegate
BBC News

Police have played down reports that Corrie Mckeague may have been kidnapped.

The 23-year-old, based at RAF Honington, was last seen in Bury St Edmunds after a night out more than a week ago.

There has been speculation that Mr Mckeague may have been abducted, but police said it was not a strong line of inquiry, although they were keeping an “open mind” to all possibilities.

A police spokesman said the main theory was Mr Mckeague had attempted to walk the 11-mile (18km) journey home after his night out.

He was last seen in Brentgovel Street on Saturday, 24 September at 03:20.

Our cameraman Jamie Niblock has just sent these pictures showing the scene at Hardwick airfield, external this morning. 

The World War Two Mustang aircraft came down at the northern end of the air field. 

A team from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, external will take away the plane and examine it in detail, to establish the cause of the crash which claimed the life of a passenger. 

The pilot, Maurice Hammond, was seriously injured.

The road which runs past the airfield, between Alburgh and Hempnall, has been closed off, and police are on site to make sure no-one goes through the barriers. 

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Maurice Hammond is an expert on vintage planes.

The pilot, who's in his 50s and from Eye in Suffolk, lovingly restored the P51 Mustang, nicknamed Janie, which came down near Hardwick airfield yesterday. 

He was seriously injured and his passenger died at the scene.

The self-made engineering millionaire spent four and a half years restoring the airframe and fitting the electrics at his home.  

With a top speed of 505 mph (810 km/h) in a dive, the Mustang burns three gallons (13.6 litres) of fuel a minute. 

But at a normal cruising speed of 250 mph (400 km/h), that fuel consumption drops to one gallon (4.5 litres) per minute.

In an interview with BBC Look East in 2003, Mr Hammond says it was the "aeroplane that turned the Second World War. 

"I love it, it's the power... it's just a sheer delight to fly," he said.   

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Planes are Maurice Hammond's passion.

This footage shows him flying his USAF Mustang fighter at Hardwick airfield in June 2003. He bought it in 1997, and put it back together at home.

He kept the World War Two aircraft at Hardwick airfield near Long Stratton, where it crashed on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Hammond was seriously injured and remains in hospital. His passenger, a man in his 80s, died in the crash.