Recovered/Located UK - Alfred Neil MacLaren, missing with his spaniel Holly during a campervan trip, last heard from 01 Feb 2024

[LemonMint]

There is increasing concern regarding the whereabouts of Mr. Alfred Neil MacLaren who family and friends have not heard from since 01/02/24. Neil is from the Whitehead area and has been travelling in his campervan since May 2023, however, he is believed to have made recent plans to return to NI. Neil is travelling with his dog, Holly, a 13 year old brown spaniel and there is concern that he may have taken ill somewhere remote but is unable to contact anyone.

If anyone has any information in relation to this male, please contact 101 and quote serial number 693 of 06/02/24. Thank you.

Look at this post on Facebook Log into Facebook

 

[dalsglen]

No description of the van and not even a tough area. Useful eh?

 

[JumpingFrog]

No description of the van and not even a tough area. Useful eh?

There's van details in the comments of the FB post linked in the first post - reg model etc, one comment say he was last in Scotland.

 

[Normal Norm]

No description of the van and not even a tough area. Useful eh?

Police Mid & East Antrim Police have just updated their appeal for Alfred to say that "In relation to missing person, Mr. Alfred Neil MacLaren, please see attached photograph of the Ford campervan he is believed to be travelling in." [See photo at end of this post]

Police Mid & East Antrim Police Facebook page

Other comments (rather more helpfully) add that although the camper van is based on a Ford chassis the bodywork is a Bailey Adamo (2022), and that the registration number is BYZ 5053. I don't understand the logic in omitting the one key detail that will allow people to uniquely identify a vehicle, but that is what so often happens.

It is also mentioned that Alfred said he was going to Germany.

 

[Normal Norm]

They give the age and hair colour of his dog, but not of him! This is quite a strange appeal.

 

[dalsglen]

There's van details in the comments of the FB post linked in the first post - reg model etc, one comment say he was last in Scotland.

Yes and that was entirely my point. Cousin could say the vehicle and location 2 months ago but police couldn't even say a country in general.

 

[dalsglen]

They give the age and hair colour of his dog, but not of him! This is quite a strange appeal.

I mean, I'm in scotland. Plenty campers down here in the borders, should I bother looking? It's such a strange appeal. No last known location or anything.

Reminds me of that other Irish lady (name totally slips me) was in France then suddenly appeared up in stornoway.

 

[Normal Norm]

I mean, I'm in scotland. Plenty campers down here in the borders, should I bother looking?

Edited by me for focus.

Indeed, you should. Scotland is one of the places it is believed he is travelling in (both generally and more specifically to use the port at Cairnryan). But yes, this should all have been mentioned in the appeal

 

[Twittens]

It is also mentioned that Alfred said he was going to Germany.

(snipped for focus)

This strikes me as something someone might say because they wanted people not to come looking for them rather than because it's necessarily true.

 

[Normal Norm]

(snipped for focus)

This strikes me as something someone might say because they wanted people not to come looking for them rather than because it's necessarily true.

Possibly, but it has also been mentioned that he has a niece in Munich. It was also mentioned that Alfred was planning to take his brother on a trip to Denmark / Sweden, if the latter was well enough. My guess (and hope) is that he is enjoying a thoroughly relaxing road trip around Europe, completely oblivious to the fact that he is listed as a missing person.

 

[StillDiggin]

This is this mornings police post
The missing person from Whitehead has now been located, thank you to everyone for your help.

https://www.facebook.com/100064553449539/posts/pfbid02xEKy2aB2aeXiTthJEHNqxpsa3gxehw3EdHo7ZLYQveMc4ZeU1fdKQBayYXL3qdQql

Unfortunately there are comments Alfred Neil has been found deceased.

 

[LadyL]

I wonder if they found his dog too.

 

[LemonMint]

I wonder if they found his dog too.

No MSM news about Alfred & Holly as far as I can see… at least not yet.

 

[LadyL]

No MSM news about Alfred & Holly as far as I can see… at least not yet.

but the police posted that Alfred was located

 

[Normal Norm]

but the police posted that Alfred was located

They did. They just forgot to mention that he was located deceased. Which puts a slightly different spin on things. It was left to relatives of Alfred to complete the picture via their comments on the police announcement.

 

[Alyce]

I wonder if they found his dog too.

if you read the FB comments there is news about the dog

 

[LadyL]

if you read the FB comments there is news about the dog

FB comments where? I clicked both the police page and Neil's page and both are unavailable

 

[Smccat]

I couldn't get the Facebook link to take me anywhere either.

 

[Soulmagent]

FB comments where? I clicked both the police page and Neil's page and both are unavailable

I guess that means ,no new information despite the rumor mills?

 

[Normal Norm]

FB comments where? I clicked both the police page and Neil's page and both are unavailable

If I remember rightly, Alfred's dog was found alive and was being cared for. I think Austria was the location that was mentioned.