Reuniting Rachel Booth with her family will become “less likely” with every passing hour, a former Met Police detective has said. Peter Bleksley said there are some “worrying” signs in the case of the missing mum, who was last seen at a garage in Sandiway, Cheshire, at 3.50am on Saturday (July 19) when she was captured on CCTV.
Mr Bleksley told the Express everyone wants a satisfactory outcome where the mother-of-three is found safe, well and reunited with her family, but admitted: “Every passing hour, I personally think that becomes less likely”.
His comments came as police continue to search a lake, with two underwater search units arriving at the Delamere Lake holiday park near Wild Shore Delamere water park on Monday (July 21).
Mr Bleksley explained: “But with each and every passing hour, I personally think that becomes less likely, tragically.”
An incident command unit and a police dogs vehicle were also at the scene. The entrance to Wild Shore was cordoned off and police tape trailed across a road in the holiday park. leading to the lake area. A statement on the Wild Shore website said it would remain closed until further notice due to “ongoing police investigations”.
Mr Bleksley said the swift public appeal to help locate Ms Booth and the “considerable” resources deployed in the search to date showed her movements must be entirely out of character.
He said: “Some people go missing frequently and there’s sometimes a pattern to their behaviour. This must be completely alien to the Rachel that those who know and love her expect. I can’t imagine many mothers out running in the early hours of a Saturday morning. Hence the urgency and nature of the resources deployed.”
The former Scotland Yard detective also suggested Cheshire Police will have learned lessons from the handling of Nicola Bulley’s missing person case. Ms Bulley went missing in January 2023 while walking her dog near the River Wyre in Lancashire. Her body was found in the river over three weeks later. An inquest concluded her death was accidental and a result of drowning.
Mr Bleksley, on the closure of the water park, said: “Clearly, that has been done to deter would-be armchair detectives. [Cheshire Police] doesn’t want a repeat of what happened with Nicola Bulley where members of the public fuel speculation, posting theories which would be harmful to those who know and love Rachel.
“I’m sure we’re seeing lessons learned from Nicola Bulley’s tragic case, particularly with the closing of the water park [so members of the public can’t intrude]. I suspect that might be supported by road closures. They won’t want a repeat of January and February 2023.”
He added: “I’m sure they’re doing everything they can to ensure that appalling situation is not replicated here.”
On Sunday, Supt Paul Hughes from Cheshire Police said the force is currently following a number of inquiries to trace Rachel and was “increasingly concerned” for her welfare.
He said as part of the investigation, officers, an Underwater Search Team and Cheshire Search and Rescue were conducting inquiries in the Oakmere and surrounding areas where it is believed Ms Booth had travelled to.
Mr Hughes said: “Investigators are following all lines of inquiry and anyone who has seen Rachel since she was reported missing is asked to contact us. 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.”
Mr Bleksley suggested information from Ms Booth’s mobile phone would provide key details on her movements and calls and messages she may have made or received.
Police will have contacted Ms Booth’s provider to ask for details such as whether the mobile phone has been switched off or ran out of power, according to Mr Bleksley.
He suggested there may be a link between where Ms Booth’s mobile phone has pinged and the location of the police search effort.
Mr Bleksley said: “A digital trail will potentially be able to track her movements up to a point. The police will also have done the obvious thing, which is to ring her phone, which I’m sure her loved ones have done.
“There’s clearly very, very worrying signs in this case, which is why police have taken the action they have.”
On what might happen next, Mr Bleksley suggested a “mutual aid” agreement between forces could kick in or already be underway, with officers from outside Cheshire Police joining the search effort.
He suggested more dogs could be brought in by police, as well as drones and helicopters deployed to aid the search.
But he cautioned that the time of day Ms Booth was last seen meant fewer people would have been around who might claim to have seen her.
Anyone with information is encouraged to get in touch with Cheshire Police by calling 101 or on the force’s website quoting IML-2136439.