Police have launched a major search for a 38-year-old woman who vanished after being caught on petrol station CCTV in the early hours of the morning. Rachel Booth was spotted at Sandiway Garage, along the A556 in Northwich, Cheshire, at 3:50am on Saturday, July 19, hours before her family reported her missing. Cheshire Constabulary has kicked off a huge manhunt for the 38-year-old, who was last pictured in running clothes, including at a nearby lake and water park, which has been temporarily shut to aid the large-scale operation.
Officers are reportedly scouring the Delamere Lake Sailing and Holiday Park and Wild Shore Delamere, which are about 3km away from the petrol station, in the hopes of tracing her whereabouts. The 38-year-old has been described as 5’9 “, of a slim build, with blonde hair, and is thought to be wearing black leggings and a black top.
Friends and family have shared a police appeal for information about her location on social media, with one former neighbour describing her as “one of the nicest people you could meet”.
Another said she was a mother-of-three with “three gorgeous boys” and a “loving husband”.
Superintendent Paul Hughes said: “We are currently following a number of enquiries to trace Rachel and are becoming increasingly concerned for her welfare.
“As part of our investigation, our officers and partner agencies, including the Underwater Search Team and Cheshire Search and Rescue, are conducting enquiries in the Oakmere and surrounding areas, where it is believed Rachel travelled to, and we would like to thank local businesses for their patience and understanding while these are currently ongoing.”
“Investigators are following all lines of enquiry and anyone who has seen Rachel since she was reported missing is asked to contact us,” he added. “The same goes for anyone who has any information on her whereabouts.
“We would also like to appeal directly to Rachel to get in touch to let us know you are OK. You can report information to Cheshire Police via 101 or through www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us quoting IML-2136439.”
A spokesperson for Wild Shore Delamere said the site would be shut for the entirety of Sunday because of “ongoing police investigations”.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause,” they added. “The incident is unrelated to Wild Shore – however, we wish to help as much as possible – so we will be closing the site until further notice.
“If your booking is affected by this closure, please contact our customer service team. We’ll be happy to arrange a refund or reschedule your session for a later date.”