Blue Lagoon search relating to missing Milton Keynes girl Leah Croucher has produced 'nothing of significance' say police

The two-week long search of the Blue Lagoon for clues about missing Leah Croucher has so far produced no “significant finds”, the MK Citizen can reveal.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Police are due to finish the intensive search on Friday.

They have used specialist divers to scour the lake and police officers and tracker dogs to fingertip search the surrounding area.

A police spokesman told the MK Citizen today: “There have not been any significant finds to date.”

Police launched the Blue Lagoon search two weeks ago today (Wednesday October 23)Police launched the Blue Lagoon search two weeks ago today (Wednesday October 23)
Police launched the Blue Lagoon search two weeks ago today (Wednesday October 23)

The major exercise was sparked by a sighting of a grey hoodie that resembled the one Leah was wearing on the morning she disappeared eight months ago.

A visitor to the Blue Lagoon nature reserve spotted the hoodie hanging from a branch of a tree in February and noted it had the word 'Stewartby' on the back.

But she did not realise the significance of this until last month, when national publicity reminded people that Leah's hoodie bore the logo and wording of her father's Stewartby Taekwondo club.

The woman contacted police and told them of the retrospective sighting. It was decided to launch the search almost immediately.

The distinctive hoodie, a reported sighting of which sparked the searchThe distinctive hoodie, a reported sighting of which sparked the search
The distinctive hoodie, a reported sighting of which sparked the search

Leah's family has thanked the witness for coming forward. They had hoped her information could provide the “first part of the puzzle” in the heartbreaking mystery of their daughter's disappearance.

“Hopefully others follow her lead and come forward. Someone moved the hoodie from the tree. Someone else saw it. Someone maybe saw who put it there...Someone maybe saw our Leah. Please speak up. Please come forward. We need you,” said her dad John.

He and his wife Claire say hope of finding 20-year-old Leah alive and well is now fading. And they are urging anybody who knows what happened to her, or where she is, to have the courage and decency to tell police.

Claire said: “If the worst has happened, I would like my daughter's body back so her family can have a burial and say goodbye – because everybody deserves that.”

Leah spotted on CCTVLeah spotted on CCTV
Leah spotted on CCTV

If you have any information, no matter how small you might think it is contact the police. You can leave information via their dedicated website for this investigation or visit a police station.

If you would prefer to speak to someone, please call 101 and ask for Thames Valley Police, quoting reference 43190049929.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their online anonymous form.