Son of missing Wirral pensioner returns home from Lanzarote

Jan 11 2012 by Alan Weston, Heswall News

THE son of a Wirral pensioner who went missing in Lanzarote before Christmas flew home on Tuesday after drawing a blank in the search for her.

Margaret Holt, 65, from Spital, was last seen leaving her hotel in the resort of Costa Teguise on December 23 while on a walking holiday.

No trace of her has been found despite a search by volunteers from the ex-pat community and professional search and rescue teams.

Margaret’s son Ben and daughter-in-law Clare Riley flew out to Lanzarote on Boxing Day after becoming concerned about her whereabouts when she failed to make contact with family members over Christmas.

Mr Riley, 35, said his mum’s disappearance was a “complete mystery.”

He added: “It has been an awful time and we are devastated to be leaving the island without knowing what happened but we do not know where else to look.“

“My mum was fit and healthy and enjoying her retirement. She would go on holiday several times a year and was due to fly to Portugal this week.”

Mr Riley has made appeals on the island’s TV network for any information as to his mum’s whereabouts.

He said he was “frustrated” by the lack of information from Spanish police.

He added: “My mum’s disappearance is classed a ‘secret case’ by Spanish police. That means we do not get any information. It is frustrating but it is their usual policy and we just have to accept it.”

An official Facebook page, Margaret Holt Missing In Lanzarote, has been set up to continue to co-ordinate the search.