The son of missing woman Sarah Wellgreen has described this last month as a "neverending nightmare" as he thanked volunteers and police for their help since his mum was reported missing.

Lewis Burdett, 22, released the emotional statement this morning as the search for his mother now enters its fifth week. Her disappearance is being treated as a potential murder.

Sarah was last seen in the Baze Shaw area of New Ash Green on October 9 and has not had contact with her family or the police since. She was reported missing by her boyfriend on October 11.

Search parties consisting of volunteers and Kent Police have combed through nearby areas within a five-mile radius of where she was last seen while detectives have gone through over 2,000 hours of CCTV footage in a bid to uncover her whereabouts.

 

The 22-year-old said: "Myself, and my family, would like to thank the residents of New Ash Green, and the surrounding villages and towns, who have all kindly given their time and gone out in all weather conditions to help look for our mum.

"The last month has been a neverending nightmare and so distressing for our family. We would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and for respecting our privacy at this difficult time and ask that it continues.

"If there is any comfort to be found during this time, it has been through seeing the support the community has given in the search to find our mum.

"We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped with the searches, reposting social media appeals, putting up posters and sending in CCTV and dashcam footage to the Police.

"We would especially like to thank the police for their continued work and also the six volunteer coordinators who have given up so much of their time to help co-ordinate the searches and set up the Search for Sarah Wellgreen Facebook page.

"Thank you, once again, to everyone from the local community who has helped and is continuing to help find our mum. Please, please keep looking and re-posting the social media appeals. Myself, and my family, really do appreciate everything that you are doing."

 

This newspaper reported last week that coordinators who have been leading the volunteer searches for Sarah had blasted claims that they had been "stood down" by police, saying that "Kent Police have asked we remain very much active. Hence why in this quiet period of searches we've been doing our very best to raise awareness of Sarah on social media."

Kent Police reissued their appeal for CCTV footage on Monday as they believe there is further CCTV footage that has not been received yet.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Ivan Beasley said: "I want to identify anybody that was out and about in New Ash Green on the night in question as they may be able to assist our investigation."