Public asked not to join hunt for missing man

Members of the public have been asked not to join a police search for a man who went missing following a night out.

Luke Jobson, 22, was last seen near Yarm School in Yarm, Teesside, at around 2.15am on Saturday and a dozens of people turned up on Monday morning to help try to find him.

Cleveland Police said one line of inquiry was that there had been an altercation outside the Keys pub in Yarm before Mr Jobson went missing.

Mr Jobson’s family appealed for help in tracing him over the weekend and an appeal on Facebook has been shared more than 59,000 times.

His aunt wrote: “Luke needs to be found an needs to be home – FAST, he is 22, he wouldn’t hurt a fly, he is popular, happy calm lad that needs to be found ASAP.”

Cleveland Police said they understood well-wishers’ “concern and distress at his disappearance”, but asked the public to keep away from the official search teams.

The force also said Yarm School grounds are private property and it is “inappropriate” for people to turn up and access this land.

The spokesman said: “Again, we acknowledge this public search was organised in the very best interests of Luke and his family but we would ask them to work with police and be guided by experienced and specially trained officers who are well-versed in safe, resource-effective search methods.”

Specialist searchers were working over the weekend and the police helicopter was brought in to help.

Any drivers who were in the area early on Saturday who may have dashcam footage were asked to help police, as well as local people with CCTV.