Motorists today claimed they may have spotted mother-of-three Rachel Booth hitchhiking on the day she vanished from a petrol station.
The 38-year-old was reported missing on Saturday, July 19, and was last seen by her family in the village of Barnton near Northwich, Cheshire.
Following the release of police CCTV showing Ms Booth’s final sighting as she bought wine and milk along the A556 of Northwich, witnesses have come forward to say they may have spotted her that day – hitchhiking in a yellow coat.
Two people ‘in cars’ reportedly saw Ms Booth at ‘between 12.30 and 1.15’ walking towards Crewe.
A witness said on Facebook: ‘I did think what she was doing walking along them roads (sic).
‘We even looked for a broken down car incase that was a factor.’
Another added: ‘Yeah it seemed quite a random part of the road to be thumbing a lift I wondered about a broken down car too, but didn’t spot one anywhere.’
Following the reports, Ms Booth’s mother Chrissie Widdowson shared a post this morning to confirm there had been ‘possible sightings by two people in cars, believed to have seen Rachel hitchhiking (walking – wearing a yellow coat walking in Minshull towards Crewe’.
Rachel Booth (pictured) was reported missing on Saturday, July 19, and was last seen by her family in the village of Barnton near Northwich, Cheshire
CCTV shows Rachel Booth, 38, walking around Sandiway Garage, west of Northwich in Cheshire, at 3.50am on Saturday July 19
A police incident command vehicle is seen arriving at 9am alongside a fire and rescue vehicle and an underwater search and marine unit at Delamere Lake in Cheshire
Ms Booth was seen wearing black leggings, a black vest and trainers at the time she vanished, with a phone visible on her outer thigh, suggesting she was out on a run.
Specially trained search and rescue teams have scoured Delamere Lake Sailing & Holiday Park and Wild Shore water sports centre, Cheshire – around a mile and a half from her last known sighting – in a frantic bid to find the missing 38-year-old.
Police believe she may have travelled to the village of Oakmere, near Delamere Forest, while underwater search teams have also been deployed to the sailing lake.
Isaac Carolan, 19, who works at the Sandiway Garage, revealed Rachel’s final purchase before she vanished.
‘I spoke to my colleague who had served her on Saturday morning. She bought milk and wine and jogged from 45 minutes away.’
He added: ‘But it didn’t seem weird, she didn’t seem disturbed or flustered.’
Another shopkeeper, at a Premier store in Barnton, where Rachel lives, described her as ‘a lovely clever lady’ who always comes in for parcels. They said she is ‘very active and very nice’, adding: ‘We all like her.’
Under the police appeal, two friends have claimed they may have spotted Rachel – described as being 5ft 9in tall, of a slim build and with blonde hair – attempting to hitchhike hours after her last sighting.
Photos from this morning show police have kept the Delamer Lake closed over night following the disappearance
Police emergency vehicles patrolled Delamere Lake Sailing & Holiday Park
Another police incident command vehicle seen arriving at 9am alongside a fire and rescue vehicle and an underwater search and marine unit at Delamere Lake in Cheshire
Police have launched an urgent hunt for missing woman Rachel Booth who was last seen at a petrol station
They said: ‘It does look like the same lady that was hitching a lift except the lady we seen [sic] obviously had the yellow jacket/cardigan on.’
The potential witness said this was around the Church Minshull area – some eight miles from the petrol station – between 12.30pm and 1.15pm on Saturday, hours after her last official sighting.
A separate witness also claimed they may have seen her passing a farm shop at Minshull and ‘walking towards Crewe’.
Nearby water park Wild Shore Delamere has also been shut down temporarily. The company said it has closed due to ‘ongoing police investigations in the surrounding area’, but insists the incident is ‘unrelated’ to them.
Inspector James Wilson, of Cheshire Constabulary, said: ‘We are currently following a number of enquiries to trace Rachel and we are becoming increasingly concerned for her welfare.
‘As part of our investigation, our officers and partner agencies, including the Underwater Search Team and Cheshire Search and Rescue, are conducting enquiries in the Oakmere and surrounding areas where it is believed Rachel travelled to, and we would like to thank local businesses for their patience and understanding while these are currently ongoing.
‘Investigators are following all lines of enquiry and anyone who has seen Rachel since she was reported missing is asked to contact us. The same goes for anyone who has any information on her whereabouts.
This is the area that police have been around the Delamere Lake Sailing & Holiday Park
A police officer and dog join the search for missing mother-of-three Rachel Booth
The Wild Shore Delamere water park (left) has been shut while police search the surrounding area
Wild Shore Delamere water park said ‘police have requested that we close this site to aid their investigation’
‘We would also like to appeal directly to Rachel to get in touch to let us know you are OK.
‘You can report information to Cheshire Police via 101 or through www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us quoting IML-2136439.’
Wild Shore Delamere said: ‘Due to ongoing police investigations in the surrounding area, Wildshore Delamere will remain closed tomorrow, Sunday, July 20th.
‘We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
‘The incident is unrelated to Wild Shore – however, we wish to help as much as possible – so we will be closing the site until further notice.
‘If your booking is affected by this closure, please contact our customer services team.
‘We’ll be happy to arrange a refund or reschedule your session for a later date. Thank you for your understanding.’
In a previous post, the water park said ‘police have requested that we close this site to aid their investigation’.
