Family’s emotional plea for missing gran

The disappearance of Pamela Jackson, 55, from her home in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has left her close-knit family devastated yet unable to properly grieve, they said.

Ms Jackson, who had three sons and four grandchildren aged 18 to 10 months, was the eldest of four daughters.

At her home in Consett, County Durham, Deborah Leighton, 51, fought back tears as she said: “She is an important part of our family as she was the oldest sister. As the youngest sister, I always looked up to her.

“She looked after us as my mam was always working. I just miss her.

“She needs to come home so we can do the right thing and bury her. We need to give her a proper send off instead of just wondering where she is.”

Her sister Marion Elsinor, 52, who is a care home cook in Dipton, added: “It’s an ongoing nightmare. It is out of character for her to go off and not to tell anyone.”

Mrs Leighton said at first the family assumed she would turn up safe and well after a couple of days, but when she was still missing on Mother’s Day they feared the worst.

Ms Jackson, who did not work due to ill-health, also missed the 18th birthday last week of her oldest granddaughter Stacey Armstrong, who said: “We cannot grieve. None of us can get our heads around it until she’s back.”

The search for her body is focusing on moorland near the M62 in West Yorkshire. Adrian Muir, 50, from Halifax, has appeared in court charged with her murder between March 2 and 8.