William Taylor: Police 'could be looking for body'

Police are investigating an arson attack on William Taylor's Land Rover as part of their inquiry into his disappearance

Police searching for a farmer who has been missing for more than two months say they "could be looking for a body".

William Taylor was last seen at his farmhouse in Gosmore, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, on 3 June.

Mr Taylor reported his Land Rover had been burnt-out in an arson attack days before he vanished.

Hertfordshire Police said the case was still being treated as a missing person investigation, but officers could be searching for a body.

Ch Insp Julie Wheatley said: "It's important not to jump to conclusions. It could be he was taken poorly and he could be somewhere."

The inspector said her team was investigating the arson attack as part of its inquiry into his disappearance.

Officers have searched farmland, hedgerows and copses "inch by inch" around Mr Taylor's farm

Specially trained officers finished an "extensive search" of land within a 1.7km (1.05 mile) radius of Mr Taylor's farm last week.

The farmer, whose 70th birthday was on 11 June, was last seen wearing a pale blue shirt, jeans and black wellies, and may have been wearing a navy-blue boiler suit.

A friend who was staying with Mr Taylor reported him missing on 4 June after waking up to find he was gone.

"It's been a considerable amount of time since William was last seen," Ch Insp Wheatley said.

"We've done a variety of searches and we've spoken to a number of people to try and build up a picture of what's happened.

"If you know anything, if you've seen anything, contact 101 and let us know, because it is a mystery."