Gaia Pope case: Mass searches underway around Swanage

Gaia Pope was last seen in Swanage on 7 November

Mass searches for missing teenager Gaia Pope are under way on the 11th day of her disappearance.

Volunteers have scoured three locations around Swanage, where the 19-year-old went missing on 7 November.

It follows the release of a third murder suspect on Friday.

The teenager's sister Clara Pope-Sutherland said: "We are choosing to believe the murder investigation is just a formality and that she is alive."

Land close to where the items of clothing were found is being extensively searched

On Thursday, police discovered clothing belonging to Miss Pope on open land outside Swanage.

The case is being treated as a murder inquiry, but her sister said the missing person investigation had not been dropped either.

She described the discovery of the clothes as "positive" as police now had "some kind of lead".

Hundreds of volunteers have joined the searches, which departed from three car parks at about midday to comb rural areas for possible clues.

Miss Pope-Sutherland said the response from people in the town had been amazing and she was "beyond grateful".

Forensic officers have also been working in the area where items of clothing were found

So far three people have been arrested on suspicion of murder, including Paul Elsey, 49, who was released under investigation on Friday afternoon.

He lives with his mother Rosemary Dinch, 71, who was arrested on the same charge on Monday, along with her 19-year-old grandson, Nathan Elsey.

They have both been released while inquiries continue.

Detectives have been focusing forensic investigations on homes, cars and an area near the coast path where the clothing was found.

BBC reporter Laurence Herdman said the town was covered with missing posters.

Gaia Pope's sister, Clara Pope-Sutherland (centre), joined one of the community searches which set off from Swanage earlier

Miss Pope-Sutherland said community searches had visited "pretty much every house" in Swanage to hand out posters and ask people to search their properties.

Earlier this week, her mother urged people to look in vans, garages and houses in case she was being kept against her will.

The search for Gaia Pope

7 November: Miss Pope is driven by a family member from Langton Matravers to Swanage. At 14:55, she is caught on CCTV at St Michael's Garage buying ice cream. The last confirmed sighting is at 16:00 at an address in Manor Gardens on Morrison Road

8 November: Her family makes a plea through police for her to make contact. Dorset Police says it is "becoming increasingly concerned"

9 November: Searches by police, the coastguard and force helicopter are carried out in the Swanage area. Miss Pope's relatives release a statement saying they are "frantic with worry"

10 November: CCTV footage shows Miss Pope on Morrison Road, Manor Gardens, at 15:39 on 7 November

13 November: Rosemary Dinch and Nathan Elsey are arrested on suspicion of murder and released under investigation

14 November: Searches continue with the coastguard and volunteers from Dorset Search and Rescue and Wessex 4x4

15 November: CCTV images of Miss Pope at St Michael's Garage are released. Searches continue to concentrate inland

16 November: Paul Elsey is arrested on suspicion of murder. Miss Pope's clothing is discovered in a field near Swanage and a police cordon is set up

17 November: Mr Elsey is released under investigation