UK NEWS

FEARS FOR DISABLED MAN AFTER 'MOTHER' FOUND DEAD

Heather Wardle and son James Hughes

Tuesday April 22,2008

By Nicola McCafferty for express.co.uk

DETECTIVES searching for a missing disabled man are “extremely concerned” for his welfare following the discovery of a body, believed to be that of his mother, police said today.

James Hughes, 22, has been missing since Friday evening and is “extremely vulnerable”, West Mercia Police said.

Heather Wardle, 39, and James were reported missing on Saturday.

Ms Wardle, from Redditch, Worcestershire, had left home on Friday evening, saying she was walking to a friend’s house nearby.

It is not known when James, who has the mental age of an 18-month-old child, was last seen.

At a press conference today, Superintendent Jane Horwood said police had recovered the body of a woman, believed to be Ms Wardle, at around 6pm last night.

The body was discovered in a patch of “dense undergrowth” in the Church Hill area of Redditch by local teenagers.

Detective Inspector Jon Marsden said the body was found “a five- to 10-minute walk” from the family home.

He added: “It is just off a commonly used bus route. It is quite a dense undergrowth area.”

The main focus of the inquiry now is finding Mr Hughes, police said.

Ms Horwood said: “James has not been found and, obviously, in the light of the discovery of what we believe to be his mother’s body, we are very concerned for his well-being.

“James has the mental age of an 18-month-old child and a number of other health problems, including epilepsy.

“He needs his most basic needs met and cannot fend for himself.

“At the moment we have no idea where he is and, while we are keeping an open mind, obviously we are very concerned.

“Furthermore, while we have been able to establish that Heather was last seen at about 6pm on Friday, it is not clear when James was last seen.”

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