Son thanks ‘faultless’ emergency services for helping to find mum with Alzheimer’s who wandered off from Ferry Meadows

Steve Ringer was fishing with mum Jean Ringer (72) and other family members yesterday (Sunday) when she disappeared at around 3.45pm, prompting a police appeal and a large search effort to find her, which included sending out the force helicopter three times as well as drones.

Fortunately, Northampton resident Jean was found near the Deepings this morning and was picked up by a member of the public.

Steve said he would be “eternally grateful” for the person’s help.

He added: “I just wanted to say thank you to the police and search and rescue teams who went above and beyond last night to try and find my mum. Even in horrific weather and no sightings they never slowed up the search. Also, the public who through social media were fantastic.

“We were fishing at Ferry Meadows and she wandered off and got confused and basically kept walking. She’s never wandered off before and it was a case of one of us thinking she was with the other. Sadly, it soon became apparent this wasn’t the case.

“She was found near the Deepings walking along the road at 8am ish this morning after a report she had been seen in the area.

“The emergency services worked tirelessly through the night. The police helicopter was up three times plus drones were used.

“My mum’s in hospital at the moment. She has a broken wrist. She also lost her shoes and glasses during the night.”

Ferry Meadows played host to the Alzheimer Society’s Memory Walk yesterday, with the 2km and 6km walks finishing shortly before Jean disappeared.

Cambridgeshire police also this morning thanked the public for sharing their appeal.