Gaynor Lord: CCTV shows last-known movements of missing woman

  • Published
Media caption,

CCTV of missing Norfolk mum released by police

Police have released CCTV footage of the last known movements of a woman who has been missing since Friday.

Mum-of-three Gaynor Lord, 55, was reported missing in Norwich after failing to return home from work.

Specialist divers joined the search in the River Wensum after police said it was likely she had "entered the water".

Norfolk Constabulary also said it was "linking in" with police in Lancashire because of similarities with the Nicola Bulley investigation.

The footage shows Ms Lord hurrying through the city centre, hours before her belongings - including clothing, jewellery, her phone and glasses - were found scattered in Wensum Park.

She had been working as a retail assistant at Jarrolds department store and was due to finish at 16:00 GMT on Friday.

But CCTV shows her leave at about 14:45, before rushing along London Street, carrying her coat and handbag, and then hurriedly crossing Upper King Street and heading to Norwich Cathedral.

The last images show her walking along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street before going up St Augustines Street at 16:01.

Her belongings were found at "various locations" in Wensum Park later on Friday and her coat was discovered in the water.

Image source, Norfolk Constabulary
Image caption,

Store cameras from Gaynor Lord's place of work filmed her on the day she disappeared

Norwich's policing commander Supt Wes Hornigold said detectives had been "linking in" with Lancashire Constabulary to understand "any of the lessons learned" from Nicola Bulley's disappearance.

Ms Bulley, 45, disappeared in January after dropping her two daughters at school in St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire.

Last month, the College of Policing published a report which criticised the media strategy during the search for Ms Bulley.

Supt Hornigold told LBC:, external "[We] have been linking in with Lancashire Constabulary to understand any of the lessons learned from that inquiry.

"We're cognisant of the recent College of Policing report into the Lancashire inquiry, so we're leaving no stone unturned and making sure we're doing everything within our power to find Gaynor as quickly as possible."

He also told the BBC there was no evidence yet that Ms Lord had come to harm.

"All of the work we've been doing over the last few days has given us no concern in terms of any third-party involvement," he added.

Image source, Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Image caption,

Wensum Park is about a mile (1.6 km) north of Norwich city centre

Wensum Park has been closed to the public since Saturday.

On Tuesday, Rosie Richards, who lives nearby, said she saw a woman matching Ms Lord's description in the park at about 16:00 on Friday.

"It's really upsetting... I'm just thinking of her friends and family, because she is a sort of similar age to my mum and that would be awful to be going through what they are going through right now," she said.

Image source, Family handout
Image caption,

Police say specialist officers are working with Ms Lord's family

Timeline of Ms Lord's movements before going missing on 8 December

14:44: Ms Lord is working at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement at Jarrolds department store14:45-14:46: She leaves the store via the loading bay on Bedford Street14:47: Walks onto London Street past the Cosy Club14:48: Ms Lord makes her way onto Queen Street and walks toward the cathedral15:22: Ms Lord is seen on The Close at the cathedral entrance - shortly before exiting through the archway she puts her coat on15:23: She is seen to walk away from the cathedral on Queen Street15:49: She is then seen near the Playhouse on St George's Street15:53: Walks along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street16:01: Ms Lord walks along St Augustines Street - her final movements captured in CCTV before going missing

Image source, Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Image caption,

A specialist dive team arrived at Wensum Park on Wednesday morning

Ms Lord is described as white, 5ft 6in (1.67m) tall and with blonde, shoulder-length hair in a bob.

She was last seen wearing a white shirt, yellow tank top, large olive-coloured coat and a scarf, police said.

"We haven't been able to establish why she left early and her disappearance is out of character so we are naturally concerned for her welfare," Supt Hornigold said.

Police said Ms Lord's family was being supported by specialist officers.

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