Piers Hopson

Piers Hopson


Age at disappearance: 35

Piers has been missing from Hastings, Sussex, since 25 January 2010.

Piers is autistic and has Asperger syndrome. He may need assistance and there is great concern for him as his disappearance is out of character. Piers is urged to call our confidential service Message Home on Freefone 0800 700 740 for advice and support.

Piers is 5ft 7in tall, of medium build with hazel eyes and short brown untidy hair. When last seen he was wearing a mushroom coloured anorak, dark trousers, brown shoes and a light t-shirt.

Latest on missing St Leonards man Piers Hopson


12 February 2010
By Richard Morris

The desperate family of a missing St Leonards man has offered a £10,000 reward to anyone who helps find him safe and well.
Piers Hopson went missing from his Southwater Road home more than a fortnight ago after telling neighbours he was going for a walk.

The 35-year-old suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism, and his parents have grown concerned they may never see their son again after early police appeals failed to turn up any firm leads.

Now they have put up the reward to try and encourage more people to join the hunt for their son.

Piers' dad Roger Hopson, who has handed out hundreds of flyers with his son's picture on, told the Observer about the strain the ordeal had taken on him and his family.

"The first week after Piers went missing was the worst," said Mr Hopson.

"You just feel he has died due to exposure in the freezing nights.
"I've never known grief like it."

However, he said he and Piers's mother had begun to grow more confident that their son would be found alive when police searches did not find a body. Mr Hopson said he thought someone might have taken Piers in.

"I am a bit more relaxed because after more than two weeks we believe he must be alive somewhere with someone is looking after him," he told the Observer.

"I know Piers can't survive on his own so the most logical conclusion is that someone has befriended him.

"We would love him back with us as soon as possible."

Piers, who enjoyed long walks and was a regular on local buses, disappeared on Monday, January 25, shortly after 2pm wearing a mushroom-coloured anorak, dark trousers and brown shoes.

Since then local police have received a handful of possible sightings, with the latest in Tunbridge Wells on Tuesday.

And his sister, Abigail Gutteridge, has taken the hunt online with a group on social networking website Facebook called Help Find Piers Hopson already attracting more than 60 members.

Now his family are keeping their fingers crossed the reward money will help jog some people's memories.

And they have also vowed to wait for him outside Tunbridge Wells train station at 2.10pm every day until he is safe and sound.

If anyone finds Mr Hopson and he is unwell, call 999 immediately to request police and ambulance attendance.

If he is safe and well, contact Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999.

http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/newshastings/Latest-on-missing-St-Leonards.6067385.jp