UK UK - Andrew Gardiner, 47, abandoned lorry in South Lanarks, 7 Sep 2020

[MsMiniSleuth]

The desperate family of a man who mysteriously disappeared have appealed for help from people across the West Highlands.

Andrew Gardiner, aged 47, has not been seen since around 11am on September 7, 2020, and his mum says they are desperate for fresh information on his whereabouts.

As a timber driver, Andrew was a frequent visitor to the Fort William area, particularly Corpach, and they now wonder if he has returned to this area.

On the day he went missing, Andrew parked his lorry up at the 3,500-acre Heathland Forest off the A706 in South Lanarkshire where he was due to make a collection of wood.

Dashcam footage retrieved from his abandoned lorry captured him throwing away his mobile phone and then walking off into the woods.

Despite extensive police searches of that area using drones and sniffer dogs, no trace has ever been found and he has not used his bank account or email address since.

His family includes mum Geraldine Grave, aged 78; step-father Hedley, aged 86; Andrew’s father Ian, and devastated wife Tanya and their daughter Caitlin, aged 18.

Geraldine said Andrew had given no indication anything was wrong either personally or at work, although things may have got on top of him.

While his role involved long hours travelling and took him away for days and nights at a time, he was happy doing it, she said.

‘We can’t work out what’s happened,’ said Geraldine. ‘He loved his job and the Highlands. He went to Lanarkshire to collect wood and walked away – that’s all we know.’

Mum's plea after only son disappears | The Oban Times

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Andrew was reported missing from his home in Castle Douglas one week ago today.

However his last known whereabouts are in the Lanarkshire area, after his work vehicle was traced off the A706 at Heathland Forest, Forth.

Police appeal for missing man whose works vehicle was traced in Lanarkshire

 

[StillDiggin]

This case always lived with me as i was in the area where Andrew was from the day he went missing, although he didnt go missing from there. There was never any appeals, posts, even comments from family members and now we are closing in on the long term missing they decide to appeal.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Even though the parents are quite elderly and maybe not too savvy with what to do in such a case, surely the police or someone else in family could have got on board.

But given the last sighting, I fear that this is a case of finding the body and not a live person.

 

[Laughing]

@CoverMeCagney , @HayLouise , @gregjrichards , @skibaboo , calling posters in the British Isles!

Some of my ancestors lived in Lanark, back when the third son learned a trade & left for America, or fought in the Boer War, returned to marry his sweetheart, then sail to live in Durban....

 

[Rosegold68]

Oh this is a sad case! Dash cam footage again gives a little insight here

 

[chimpface]

This is desperately sad. It sounds like from the dash cam footage he intended to end his life

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

This is desperately sad. It sounds like from the dash cam footage he intended to end his life

I think it pretty much does. And after such a period of time with no further sighting, the outcome can only be the obvious.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A former North Lakes man has been missing for more than eight months.

He was last seen throwing away his mobile phone and walking off into remote woodland.

Forty-seven-year-old Andrew Gardiner’s previous known sighting back in September was via dashcam footage retrieved from his abandoned lorry.

Desperate family are baffled by his disappearance and are seeking any information that may lead to his whereabouts.

The former Keswick School pupil was a timber driver for A W Jenkinson at Lockerbie. Around 11am on September 7, he parked his lorry at Heathland Forest off the A706 in South Lanarkshire where he was due to make a collection of wood.

Despite extensive police searches using drones and sniffer dogs, no trace has been found of him and he has not used his bank account or email address since.

Andrew still has family in the Keswick area and once worked as a chef at the King’s Arms Hotel. He attended Newton Rigg College and had worked as a gamekeeper in the Penrith and Cockermouth areas.

Mystery over missing lorry driver’s disappearance

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A distraught Gatehouse mother is hoping against hope that her only son will return home.

Castle Douglas HGV driver Andrew Gardiner vanished in a South Lanarkshire woodland on September 7.

He had parked up his timber truck in Heathland Forest near Forth and has not been seen since.

Dashcam footage from the abandoned lorry showed him throwing away his mobile phone and walking off into the woods.

Now his mum Geraldine Grave has issued a heartfelt plea to Andrew to contact her if he can.

“We are desperate – even if Andrew just rings us and says he’s okay,” Geraldine told the News. “Sometimes we think this is just not happening.

“This sort of thing happens to other people, not to us. You just want him to come back through the door..."

Mum "desperate" for missing son to get in touch

 

[Fidobell]

@CoverMeCagney , @HayLouise , @gregjrichards , @skibaboo , calling posters in the British Isles!

Some of my ancestors lived in Lanark, back when the third son learned a trade & left for America, or fought in the Boer War, returned to marry his sweetheart, then sail to live in Durban....

I was born in Lanark , live about 30 mins drive away now .

 

[LemonMint]

Bumping.