Search – Market Rasen – Sept 1995

IRC were contacted on the 5th Sept 1995 by Trevor Barns of Lincolnshire Police. He asked if we would be willing to help in a search for a missing person.

Mrs Jacqueline Phillips had been abducted and it was believed that she may have been dropped in a ditch within or near to Willingham Woods.

It was agreed that a maximum effort would be mounted by IRC on the 6th Sept 1995.

Joint search teams of police officers and IRC members searched throughout the 6th, without locating Mrs Phillips. This event was attended by members from all Groups.

Following reports that Jacqueline Phillips had been abducted by her estranged husband John Phillips and left bound in a ditch 20 yards from a track or road in a wooded area International Rescue Corps were contacted by Lincolnshire Police to supply a specialist search and rescue team to assist in the location of Jacqueline Phillips.

29 volunteers with Thermal Image Cameras were deployed in Willingham Woods, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.

This was a multi- agency operation with Police, military and IRC working together toward a common objective.

For IRC this was the second operation in England of this kind.

Following the finding of a possible crime scene in a joint search by International Rescue Corps and a Police Team the area was cordoned off and a Specialist Police Task Team were deployed.

At 20.30 hrs on the 6th August 1995 all third party agencies including IRC, were stood down.

Report by – Gary O’Shea (National Press Officer)

The Corps was subsequently informed that the body of Mrs Phillips was located on 27th Dec 1995, at Stainton le Vale, in a wooded area approx 5 miles outside the original search location.