Corrie McKeague disappearance: Police widen search for missing RAF man amid kidnapping fears

Corrie McKeague's mother says the possibility of kidnap 'has been mentioned by the police and it's not something they would rule out'

Police have widened their search for a missing RAF serviceman as his mother has admitted he may have been kidnapped.

Corrie McKeague, 23, who is based in RAF Honington in Suffolk, was last seen in the nearby town of Bury St Edmunds in the early hours of September 24.

The town and the air base are both about 30 miles from RAF Marham, where two men of middle eastern appearance tried to kidnap an RAF serviceman who was out running in July.

Mr McKeague’s mother Nicola Urquhart was quoted by The Sunday Times as saying that the possibility of kidnap "has been mentioned by the police and it's not something they would rule out".

She added: "It's looking more and more suspicious as time goes on that they're not actually finding him. It (kidnapping) is something that they're thinking of.

"Obviously it is something they're looking at, but it's certainly not something they're shouting about to me."

After conducting searches along the A134 between Bury St Edmunds and RAF Honington over the weekend, police have now started looking further afield, with the operation to find Mr McKeague involving the RAF, search-and-rescue volunteers and police helicopters.

Chief Inspector Steve Denham of Suffolk Police said Mr McKeague would never normally disappear without letting people know where he was.

Mr Denham said: “This behaviour is totally out of character for Corrie and we are very concerned for his welfare.

"We are still examining CCTV in Bury St Edmunds town centre and urging any friends or members of the public who may have seen or spoken to Corrie over the course of the evening of Friday September 23 and the early hours of Saturday September 24 in Bury St Edmunds to come forward.

"We are also appealing for people or drivers in the local area or further afield who may have seen him after our last confirmed sighting of him on Brentgovel Street at 3.20am to contact us."

Mr McKeague was last seen at about 3.20am on Saturday September 24 and Suffolk police believe he may have been in the area of Mildenhall, a small market town where there is another RAF base about 15 miles north west of Bury St Edmunds, between 4.30am and 8am the same day.

Police are trying to trace anyone who may have seen or spoken to a man matching his description in the area at the time and have released photographs of the clothing he was believed to have been wearing when he disappeared - a pink Ralph Lauren polo shirt and brown suede Timberland boots.

Mr McKeague is described as white, 5ft 10ins, of medium build, with short light brown hair.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.