UK UK - Owen Harding, 16, Saltdean, East Sussex, 26 Mar 2020

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Not sure, but it strikes me as strange that someone would decide to walk for such an incredibly long distance. It shouldn't come as surprise that trains aren't running due to Covid. Was this journey to go see his girlfriend in Pocklington last minute, or did he plan in advance?

I don't know, but it doesn't seem even logical to go ahead and think to walk for that long. Trains alone take approx. 6 hours, by foot it's approx. 82 hours. But then agin, what do I know? Teenagers do crazy things; what was the necessity to go see his girlfriend that it couldn't be done over phone?
 
If he did decide to go for the walk to Pocklington, which is approx 82 hours by foot, then he should of arrived in the area in the early morning of Monday; bearing in mind that there were no difficulties and he didn't stop for shelter. Highly unlikely, I have no idea what the weather was like, but I'm pretty sure that walking continuously for 82 hours is impossible. He definitely took breaks, and maybe sought shelter in the night. Because of that, then he should still be on his way, and relatively close to Pocklington now.

If he was thinking of walking to Pocklington, then he must of planned it which would be difficult actually.
Or it was irrational thinking that made him suddenly decide to walk to see his girlfriend, if that is the case, then he is likely in an area unfamiliar to him and lost or maybe dead.
 
Frivolous said:
Not sure, but it strikes me as strange that someone would decide to walk for such an incredibly long distance. It shouldn't come as surprise that trains aren't running due to Covid. Was this journey to go see his girlfriend in Pocklington last minute, or did he plan in advance?

I don't know, but it doesn't seem even logical to go ahead and think to walk for that long. Trains alone take approx. 6 hours, by foot it's approx. 82 hours. But then agin, what do I know? Teenagers do crazy things; what was the necessity to go see his girlfriend that it couldn't be done over phone?
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I mentioned the other day that I'm not that convinced that he has tried to walk to his girlfriend's a couple reasons why.
First the clothes he was reported to be wearing when he left, would be nowhere near warm enough for spending time outside at night, also he would need supplies food, water, ect.
Now I suppose he could have hid a rucksack with all the suff he would need if he had planned this, but I have not seen it reported that anything else's was missing form his house eg, extra clothes or food.
Also it has been reported that his phone had hardly any charge on it when he left the house so I'm not sure how he would manage to be able to get all that way without Google maps, I suppose he could have a old school map but how many 16 year olds would have one?
He would also have to take the A and B roads so he would definitely need some form of getting directions without getting completely lost. I have driven all over the country with work and I don't think I would be able to do that journey from memory, especially since he wouldn't be able to walk along the motorway for very long without getting picked up by LE.

However I suppose he might have tired to walk that far, as you said who knows what a 16 year old would try, it's been a long time since I was 16.
 
IainD said:
I mentioned the other day that I'm not that convinced that he has tried to walk to his girlfriend's a couple reasons why.
First the clothes he was reported to be wearing when he left, would be nowhere near warm enough for spending time outside at night, also he would need supplies food, water, ect.
Now I suppose he could have hid a rucksack with all the suff he would need if he had planned this, but I have not seen it reported that anything else's was missing form his house eg, extra clothes or food.
Also it has been reported that his phone had hardly any charge on it when he left the house so I'm not sure how he would manage to be able to get all that way without Google maps, I suppose he could have a old school map but how many 16 year olds would have one?
He would also have to take the A and B roads so he would definitely need some form of getting directions without getting completely lost. I have driven all over the country with work and I don't think I would be able to do that journey from memory, especially since he wouldn't be able to walk along the motorway for very long without getting picked up by LE.

However I suppose he might have tired to walk that far, as you said who knows what a 16 year old would try, it's been a long time since I was 16.
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Agreed. Lack of food and clothing point towards last minute decisions. What was the phone being signalled in Bromley about? And then that being ruled out? Was his phone mugged, and the perpetrators travelled to Bromley, then switched it off completely from there? But then again, the phone hardly had any charge at all to begin with.. I'm not sure, it's confusing to think of ideas/theories as to what really happened.

Is the initial thought of travelling to see girlfriend being clouded by any other possible ideas as to where he went?

Or is it just simple, he just wanted to see his girlfriend and got lost, fell into the sea?
 
Frivolous said:
Agreed. Lack of food and clothing point towards last minute decisions. What was the phone being signalled in Bromley about? And then that being ruled out? Was his phone mugged, and the perpetrators travelled to Bromley, then switched it off completely from there? But then again, the phone hardly had any charge at all to begin with.. I'm not sure, it's confusing to think of ideas/theories as to what really happened.

Is the initial thought of travelling to see girlfriend being clouded by any other possible ideas as to where he went?

Or is it just simple, he just wanted to see his girlfriend and got lost, fell into the sea?
Click to expand...

Yes the phone being in Bromley then being ruled out is a bit confusing, since LE has never said what information lead them to think it was there to begin with or even how they ruled it out,I first thought that they had pinged his phone or that locaton services had placed it there, but since it was ruled out I'm not sure anymore.
I would also like to know how they know that his phone didn't have much charge when he left the house,was it his mum that knew this or did he meet with or call a friend and told them.
It's just that when my kids were that age I wouldn't have known how much charge was on their phone at any time unless I specifically asked them and even then they would have probably said full charge so I didn't tell them to charge it before they left.

Anyway I hope we hear some good news soon as it's a week today since he went missing..
 
Rosiebones said:
How did he maintain a relationship with her from 248 miles away before this event? How with school etc. did they ever find time to see each other? Did one or the other recently move away from the other?
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Meg, 16, said: "Owen and I have known each other since we were 11, and, in the last two years it developed from a friendship to a relationship. We’ve maintained it over the distance, but he has taken the travel restrictions imposed by Covid-19 quite hard.

"Living in different cities, it was going to be tough for us to see each other for a while and he wasn’t going to be able to take a train to see me. He left home on Thursday night and we think there is a possibility he is trying to walk to York.”

Teenager believes missing boyfriend could be walking 280 miles to Pocklington

From the above article I'm going to assume that one or the other has recently moved,although not positive.as I've not seen it mentioned in MSM and I'm deliberately not reading the comments on the find Owen FB just so I don't hear rumours
 
IainD said:
Yes the phone being in Bromley then being ruled out is a bit confusing, since LE has never said what information lead them to think it was there to begin with or even how they ruled it out,I first thought that they had pinged his phone or that locaton services had placed it there, but since it was ruled out I'm not sure anymore.
I would also like to know how they know that his phone didn't have much charge when he left the house,was it his mum that knew this or did he meet with or call a friend and told them.
It's just that when my kids were that age I wouldn't have known how much charge was on their phone at any time unless I specifically asked them and even then they would have probably said full charge so I didn't tell them to charge it before they left.

Anyway I hope we hear some good news soon as it's a week today since he went missing..
Click to expand...

That's true, maybe he told a friend that he wouldn't hear from him until he reaches Pocklington as his phone is nearly dying. Bit of an odd piece of information to mention anyway.
 
Rosiebones said:
Is hitchhiking a common occurrence in the UK? Could he have picked up a ride north?
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Hitch-hiking is not that common in the UK.

Many people are currently adhering to the 'lockdown', not so many people are out and about on the roads. I live very close to Saltdean...I hope that Owen is found safe and well very soon.

The local news site states that CCTV of Owen was captured in Bannings Vale and Bevendean Avenue.

I would have thought that more properties in the area would have CCTV - there are some very nice houses. Saltdean is quite an affluent area.
 
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