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Police in reservoir search for body

Michelle McKenna
9/ 2/2006

POLICE searching for the body of a missing Accrington businessman have dramatically turned their attention to the remote West Yorkshire moors.

A team of divers has been searching Ponden Reservoir, near Haworth, after detectives leading the hunt for David Guilfoyle received advice from missing persons experts.

Shane Fitzpatrick, 35, of Lyndale Road, Hapton, has been charged with murdering the former international pool player and is due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court on 13 March.

But despite police with sniffer dogs carrying out extensive searches of woodland and moors in Hyndburn and Hapton, no body has ever been found.

Lancashire police said this week that they were not acting on any specific new information.

But they had moved into the well-known beauty spot in the heart of Bronte country after consulting the leading national police search adviser for missing persons and homicide, based at the National Crime and Operational Faculty in Bramshill, Hampshire.

The officer leading the investigation, Detective Super-intendent Steve Brunskill, said: "We have received no information in relation to the whereabouts of David Guil-foyle but we are determined to explore any further areas based on the best professional advice available.

"Mr Guilfoyle's family are aware of these further searches and naturally, like us, they are hoping we are successful."

The 37-year-old father-of-one, from Royds Avenue, Accrington, was last seen alive in May.

He disappeared after leaving the Grey Horse pub, Whalley Road, where he had been watching the Liverpool v AC Milan Champions League final with friends.

Forensic experts later found extensive bloodstains on the driveway of his £230,000 bungalow.