Ex-Uefa chief Bernard Ross 'planned to leave country'

Thames Valley Police said Bernard Ross had been in Grasse in the south of France

The wife of a former Uefa executive who has gone missing says she has come to terms with the idea his disappearance was "pre-planned".

Bernard Ross, 51, who was a director of TV at the football body, left Oxford on 18 October and told his wife he was travelling to London to see his sister.

Jacinta Ross told the Victoria Derbyshire programme he took his passport but left his wallet and phone.

"He had the intention of travelling when he left that day," she said.

Thames Valley Police has said Mr Ross may be using a bicycle to travel around the south of France.

The Force said he travelled to the country on 18 October, was in Marseille four days later and in Grasse, near Cannes, on 31 October but may have travelled to Switzerland.

Mrs Ross said the father-of-four has bipolar disorder but had never disappeared before.

She said he lost his job with Uefa last year, and then he was diagnosed in January and spent six months in hospital.

House of commons leader Andrea Leadsom has said she will intervene in the case.

Speaking on the BBC programme, Mrs Ross said: "He left all of his clothes as far as I can see, and even his wash bag is still at home, so he didn't take much with him, which is why we thought he wouldn't be away very long initially."

However, because he took his passport and a Post Office card, she believes "he clearly was intending to travel - he didn't just find himself in France".

She added: "I've had to come to terms with the idea that this was pre-planned."

Mr Ross worked at Uefa for nearly 11 years where he was director of TV production and digital services, and was also responsible for the Champions League and Euro 2016.

Mr Ross had been involved in Euro 2016, which was won by Portugal