Missing DJ Derek 'made unexplained Thornbury bus trips'

DJ Derek has not been seen since 11 July

A Bristol DJ made a series of unexplained bus journeys in the run-up to his disappearance eight weeks ago, the BBC has learned.

Travelcard data revealed Derek Serpell-Morris, 73, known as DJ Derek, made several return trips to Thornbury some 14 miles away, before vanishing.

He went missing on 11 July and his family fears he will never be found.

There are fears he might have collapsed in a remote area or even taken his own life because of health worries.

Police have searched more than 100 acres around Thornbury and near bus stops along the 78 bus route

Police have been concentrating their search in and around the market town as the last recorded use of his pass was when he caught the 78 Bristol to Thornbury service on the day he disappeared.

Despite extensive publicity no-one has come forward to say they saw him then or on previous dates when records show he stayed for up to four hours before catching a bus back to Bristol.

Police say one line of inquiry is that the pub and club reggae DJ may have collapsed in an isolated area

Det Ch Insp Matthew Iddon told BBC West's Inside Out family and friends know of no particular link with Thornbury and said officers really need to understand why he went there.

DJ Derek had told a friend the night before he disappeared he had suffered bad head pains but they had gone away and he felt fine.

Twin sister Shirley Griffiths fears her brother may have taken his life - if he had thought he had a health problem.

She said she was chatting with him at a wedding weeks before and he was joking about getting old.

DJ Derek has not accessed his bank account since 6 July and his passport was found in his flat

"He told me 'If I became ill, gaga, not with it I don't want family or authorities to have to care for me'," she explained.

"My biggest scare... is we might never find him."

Mr Iddon said a search of his flat found no evidence of foul play.

He added the investigation was complex because he had no internet or mobile but said there is absolutely no suggestion that Derek had something to hide.

"We have got to hope for the best but have also got to prepare for the worst," he said.

The film about DJ Derek will be on Inside Out West on BBC One later at 19:30 BST and afterwards on the iPlayer.