Lancashire Police provide update in search for missing mental health patient in Blackpool

60-year-old David Butterworth is still missing after escaping from The Harbour mental health hospital in Blackpool, where he was a patient on the acute mental health ward.

On Wednesday, December 20, David climbed over a garden wall at the facility on Preston New Road and was last seen in the Preston New Road area, close to The Harbour, at 5.52pm that day but has not been seen or heard from since.

Yesterday (Saturday, December 30), Lanacashire Police said they are "becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare" as they issued an update on what they have been doing to find David, and appealed for the public’s help to bring him home.

A police spokersperson said: "Since he was reported to us as missing, we have conducted CCTV enquiries as well as searches of the surrounding area to establish a possible direction of travel for David. This has included searches around the Mereside estate, businesses and properties along Preston New Road, as well as physical searches in the rural land behind The Harbour.

"CCTV is limited in the area, so we’re again appealing to motorists who may have been travelling along Preston New Road or in the area from around 5:50pm on Wednesday 20th December. We need drivers to check their dashcam footage and think back to their journey, for any relevant information that might help our investigation."

David is described as 6ft 2ins, slim and has grey hair. He was last seen wearing grey joggers, black socks, black sliders with white stripes and long sleeve white t-shirt with motif on the front, possibly Lacoste.

He has links to Blackpool - on the promenade in the green shelters, soup kitchens and local food banks - Fleetwood, Stannah, Thornton and Bispham.

Ch Insp Dave Hannan added: “Alongside our own CCTV enquiries, we need the public to help us build a picture of David’s movements the day he went missing.

"Even if you believe something you saw or information you have is insignificant, please come forward and let our officers decide”.

If you have information that could help find David, call police on 101 or email [email protected] quoting log 1284 of 20th December 2023. For immediate sightings call 999.