Police were last to see missing Derry Hill man Thomas Edwards

Thomas, 32, from Derry Hill, near Calne, was seen leaving Rudi’s bar, in Regent Circus, between 9.45pm and 10.15pm on Friday.

Wiltshire Police say Thomas is believed to have been seen by two police officers at 10.30pm on Friday walking along Church Place, Swindon.

The officers spoke to him and he said he needed to get a bus home to Calne. They then gave him a lift to the bus stops outside the Outlet Village.

The officers patrolled the area again, 10 minutes later, and Thomas was still there waiting for the bus.

Wiltshire Police would like to hear from anyone in the location of Church Place or the Outlet Village between 10.20pm and 11pm on Friday.

The last known phone signal from Thomas’ phone was in the Chippenham area.

Throughout yesterday police teams searched areas of Chippenham and Studley Crossroads. The police helicopter was also in action.

Wiltshire Search and Rescue helping with the search efforts.

At a press conference at Wiltshire Police headquarters in Devizes yesterday, sector head for Chippenham, Calne and Corsham Inspector Phil Staynings said officers were concentrating efforts on Derry Hill and Monkton Park in Chippenham, in the theory that Thomas may have caught the bus and tried to walk home from Chippenham.

The inquiry, headed up by Detective Chief Inspector Matt Stone, has seen up to 100 officers work to trace Thomas’ whereabouts through CCTV, telephony and detailed searches.

Inspector Staynings said police need to speak to four people who got on the 55a bus in the Penzance Drive area as soon as possible.

He said: “Due to ticket sales on the night, we know four people got on the bus in that area at 11pm and they may be crucial to the inquiry.

“We are trying to ascertain his route on leaving Rudi’s and whether, once the officers dropped him at the bus stop, he got on the bus.

“We have spoken to the driver of the 55a but we need those four to come forward.

“Our searches have focused on Monkton Park and near his home in Derry Hill based on what his family have suggested might be his route if he were to walk home.

“His phone pinged the mast at 10.30pm Saturday, but we have not recovered the phone.

“I must stress this is still a live missing persons inquiry and there is no suggestion of foul play at this stage.

“His family are incredibly concerned. We know that this is totally out of character and is obviously of great concern.

“I would urge anyone who may have seen Mr Edwards late on Friday evening or early on Saturday morning to come forward immediately.

“The smallest amount of information might prove crucial to this investigation.

Anyone who has any information should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers where information can be left anonymously on 0800 555 111.

FAMILY IN WAITING

THOMAS Edwards’ family gathered at the Derry Hill home he shared with wife Dee yesterday in the hope of hearing news on his whereabouts.

His older brother Will, 36, took part in several search parties over the weekend with his father Paul, mother Caroline and step-father Mike Cox.

Will, who works at a gym, said: “Tom is just a genuine guy. He’s very into his sport, he’s an Ironman triathlete, and he’s also a home person. He loves being at home with his wife – they are very much a couple.

“There is a rollercoaster of emotions. The first few hours you just expect him to walk through the door.

“You have times when you think the worst, but overridingly the feeling is one of positivity. We are all waiting for him to return.

“The community around here, they all did their own walk round. We’ve had food parcels dropped off for us and a lot of knocking on the door asking about Dee. There’s been a real sense of community spirit.

“When it got to Saturday afternoon we started to generate some posters and flyers.

“We made our way into Swindon and followed the route he might have taken. We did that through the night until 12 on the Sunday morning.

“When we woke up on the Sunday morning they had pinged his mobile and in the early hours of Sunday morning we did a search of the Chippenham and Calne area. The bus route ends in Chippenham town and it’s possible that he walked from there.

“People should get in touch, even if they think it’s small or insignificant. The more information, the more hope there is.”

Thomas went to Corsham School. He studied for a degree in accountancy and finance at Nottingham University, and married Dee last September at Wellington Barn, Calstone.

He is described as white, of thin build with short brown hair. He also has distinctive Ironman tattoos on his right leg and left arm which depict a red and white Australian flag.

He was last seen wearing a red T-shirt with a grey logo and jeans.