River searched 
for man missing 
after office party

Ed Gillespie has not been seen since he left the party at the Roydon Marina Hotel, near Harlow, Essex, in the early hours of December 22.

The 38-year-old, from Luton, worked for equipment testing company Bureau Veritas and was reported missing by relatives after he failed to return home.

Chief Insp Nick Lee, who is leading the search, said: “We are extremely concerned for Mr Gillespie’s welfare. He had been attending a company party at the hotel and was due to stay overnight before checking out on Saturday morning. His car and belongings are still at the hotel but there is no sign of Mr Gillespie.”

Search teams from Essex Police have spent a week scouring the riverbanks and waterways of the River Stort. On Friday, they found Mr Gillespie’s spectacles but their efforts to locate him have been hampered by high water levels.