Give it up, ex-lover's father tells fugitive

As his daughter remained in hospital under armed guard, Paul Stobbart pleaded with the father of his granddaughter to give himself up.

In a short video released by police yesterday, Mr Stobbart urged the 37-year-old to stop for the sake of his children.

He said: "Raoul, son, please, this has to stop, it's gone on for too long. We don't want anyone else hurt.

"What sort of memories are these of (sic) the kids to have of their father?

"If they ask me in the future or their bairns I will tell them exactly what happened. I won't lie to them, you know that. Come on son, give it up."

Moat shot and injured Miss Stobbart, 22, and killed her new boyfriend Chris Brown, two days after being released from prison.

The breakdown of his relationship with her is believed to have triggered his rampage. The police manhunt continues to focus on countryside around Rothbury, which another former girlfriend said was Moat's "favourite place in the whole world".

Detectives are investigating several potential sightings of Moat and revealed they had found another letter from the suspect in a tent in a secluded spot near the Northumberland village.

Det Chief Supt Neil Adamson, leading the investigation, said the eight-page handwritten letter addressed to Miss Stobbart focused on personal matters between the pair, adding that police had not yet given it to Miss Stobbart.

He said: "In it, Mr Moat reasserts his belief that Samantha's partner was a police officer. I repeat this is not the case."

Senior officers are desperate to capture Moat, who has threatened to kill police, without further injury or loss of life.

Moat used his first letter to warn: "The public need not fear me but the police should as I won't stop till I'm dead."

Although detectives believe Moat remains in or around Rothbury, plans are in place to intercept him anywhere in Northumberland.

"In a wider sense, the net is closing. In terms of the overall investigation, we are making steady and significant progress," said Det Chief Supt Adamson.

"I am concerned, as I'm sure everyone in the country is, that we apprehend Mr Moat very soon."

He added: "We believe Mr Moat to be a measured individual who appears to carefully plan his actions and is comfortable in an outdoor environment.

"While the search is now focusing on the Rothbury area, I am mindful of the potential for Mr Moat to have fled the area.

"We are therefore continuing a wide variety of intensive operational and investigative activity across the entire force area."

Police also released new details of his appearance and clothing yesterday.

Moat, who has blue eyes and is of heavy build, is believed to be wearing a grey or light blue hoodie, a red T-shirt, dark-coloured jeans and white trainers.

Investigators emphasised his imposing size and appearance, saying he was 6ft 3in tall and weighed approximately 17-and-a-half-stone and sported cropped blond hair.

The temporary Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, Sue Sim, said the arrest of two men yesterday was a "key breakthrough".

The men, named in reports as 26-year-old Karl Ness and Qhuram Awan, 23, arrested yesterday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, are understood to have been helping police with their inquiries.

Ms Sim said Moat is a "dangerous individual" but added that this is directed towards police and the armed response was "proportionate" to the threat.