MEMBERS of the public are being urged to check their sheds and outhouses for a 72-year-old man who has been missing for a week. 

72-year-old David Newby was reported missing from his home in the Penzance area and was last seen in Penzance in the afternoon on Friday 10 November.

A friend of the family, Tracy Orchard, has been taking part in public searches for David and is urging people to check their sheds and outhouses as he may have taken shelter inside. 

Tracy told The Packet: "Today, all the volunteers are here in Mullion and we're desperately asking everybody to search all their outbuildings, any sheds, any sheltered facilities. We're asking everybody to check around their neighbourhood areas. 

Falmouth Packet: 72-year-old David Newby was last seen in Penzance in the afternoon on Friday, November 10 72-year-old David Newby was last seen in Penzance in the afternoon on Friday, November 10 (Image: Claire Newby)

"There could be a possibility that he's bunkered down and could be in a state where he no longer has any energy to move.

"We're desperately asking for dog walkers to be on a vigilant lookout along the coastline from Mullion towards Penzance as well as the Lizard areas, in case anything has happened in those areas. 

"We feel a bit like it's too much of a stretch to be out on the coastline, we don't really know what we're looking for. We think it's more important to speak to people face to face and ask them to look around. We're going door to door today in the Mullion area.

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"As far as we're aware there's been no credit card or debit card activity, and the police are looking in to that today.

"We're still hopeful that we're going to find him alive."

Tracy also mentioned there had been a possible sighting of David which the police were currently investigating.

"We did have quite a confident possible sighting of Dave walking from Gweek to Falmouth on Wednesday, which the police have acted strongly with and are looking at all the cameras around the Falmouth area.

"What we need is another piece of information to confirm he's in that direction before we move over there."

Falmouth Packet: Anyone with any information on David's whereabouts should contact police immediatelyAnyone with any information on David's whereabouts should contact police immediately (Image: Claire Newby)

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Enquiries are ongoing for this missing person appeal. When we are in a position to do so, we will issue a proactive update."

Devon and Cornwall Police, along with Mullion Coastguard Rescue Team, West Cornwall Search and Rescue Team, and The Lizard RNLI Lifeboat Station, have all conducted searches over the last few days, however, unfortunately, David remains missing. 

Anyone with any information on David's whereabouts or who thinks they may have spotted him is urged to call police immediately on 999, quoting log number 443 of 15/11/23.