A car belonging to a missing Leeds woman has been found close to the border of the former Harrogate district.

Molly Ann Garbutt, 25, was reported missing last night (Tuesday, April 2) with police saying they had “immediate concerns for her welfare”.

Enquiries led officers to establish Molly’s black Renault Clio was in the Grassington area from around 7pm last night.

Her car was found by Rural Watch volunteers just before 8am today, parked off the B6265 near Dibbles Bridge at Hebden, about two miles from Greenhow in the former Harrogate district.

West Yorkshire Police issued the initial appeal for information but following the discovery of the car North Yorkshire Police has joined the search.

It said in a statement this afternoon:

“North Yorkshire Police is conducting searches and enquiries in the surrounding area in the effort to find Molly.

“These are being supported by RAF Mountain Rescue and the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, along with a HM Coastguard helicopter.

“Molly is described as white, slim build, with long ginger hair. She was last seen wearing a brown velvet thigh-length coat, pink leggings and white boots.”

Officers have urged anyone with information or sightings of a woman in the area matching Molly’s description to report it by calling 999.

Quote North Yorkshire Police reference number 12240057708 when passing on information.

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Police have appealed for information about a missing teenager who may be in Harrogate.

Lucas Harwood, 15, was reported missing at 4.30pm on September 21.

West Yorkshire Police said he was last seen on a football pitch near Toller Lane in Bradford.

Officers say he has links to Harrogate, Leeds and Bradford.

He is described as mixed race, around 5ft 9ins tall, slim build, with short black hair and a slight moustache.

He was last seen wearing a blue tracksuit, long sleeved top and trousers in navy blue with a white stripe, he also had a black Adidas bag with him. 

A West Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or use the Live Chat facility at
www.westyorkshire.police.uk/contactus, quoting log 1268 of 21 September.”

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Police are appealing for information about a missing man seen in Harrogate.

Richard Pask, 54, of Bramham near Wetherby, was seen at Enterprise car rental on Ripon Road in Harrogate.

A subsequent police social media post said he was later captured on CCTV getting off a bus at Thorner on Monday.

https://twitter.com/WestYorksPolice/status/1676337464435265536?s=20

West Yorkshire Police described him as white, 5ft 8, bald with white partial hair and stubble.

Richard was wearing a blue raincoat, cream trousers and brown shoes.

Anyone with any information on his whereabouts is urged to contact West Yorkshire Police.

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The A61 south of Harrogate has been closed this afternoon as police deal with a serious collision.

The road is closed between Swindon Lane near Kirkby Overblow and the A659 Otley Road near Arthington, at the bottom of Harewood Bank by the bridge over the River Wharfe.

The collision reportedly happened in the early hours of this morning and the road has been closed all day.

Neither North Yorkshire Police or West Yorkshire Police have issued any details about the incident or the closure, which is near the boundary between the two counties.

The closure is affecting public transport, with the 36 bus between Harrogate and Leeds having to divert from its stops at Walton Head Road, Rigton Lane End, Kirkby Overblow Lane End, Dunkeswick Lane End and Harewood Bridge.

The Harrogate Bus Company has issued advice to passengers, saying:

“There are no alternative stops due to the length of diversion for this route.

“Customers wanting to get to and from these stops will need to find an alternative way of travel as the bus cannot get to these stops.”

Drivers are also being diverted away from the scene, via either Otley or Wetherby.

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The body of missing man Jesus Moreno lay undiscovered for more than eight months because it was just outside the 500-metre police search area.

A police search team found Mr Moreno’s body on Friday on land close to the River Wharfe in the Harewood area.

He had been missing since August 1 last year when he got off a 36 bus from Leeds to Harrogate at Swindon Lane near Dunkeswick, just north of Harewood bridge.

The discovery of his body, close to the last sighting, came two weeks after West Yorkshire Police said it had “exhausted every possible line of enquiry”.

Asked why it had taken so long to find the body when it was so close to the last sighting, a police spokesperson said:

“Police can confirm the body of a man found in undergrowth on land close to the River Wharfe in the Harewood area on Friday has been identified as that of missing Jesus Moreno.

“A number of searches by specialist police search teams were undertaken in the Harewood area for Mr Moreno, as part of extensive enquiries conducted into his disappearance.

“The specialist search team initially set a search area of 500 metres radius from Jesus’ last known location. This area was searched with specialist resources.

“Mr Moreno’s body was found just over 250 metres outside that boundary and hidden under thick undergrowth, as part of ongoing work undertaken according to the wider search plan.”

The statement added that enquiries into the death remain ongoing but “there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances”.

Police images of Jesus Moreno

Piglove Brewing Co, the Leeds brewery Mr Moreno co-founded, said in a statement on social media:

“It is with great sadness that the Piglove family announces that our beloved Jesus’ remains have been found near Harewood bridge, the last place he was seen on the 1st of August 2022.

“Please be thoughtful to our staff and family during this challenging time. It has been a tough eight months for the business but your support through this time has meant the world to us.

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Police investigating the disappearance of Jesus Moreno have found the body of a male.

The body was found by a police search team yesterday afternoon on land close to the River Wharfe in the Harewood area.

West Yorkshire Police announced the discovery in a statement this afternoon. It added there were no suspicious circumstances. The statement added:

“The family of Mr Moreno have been informed of this development and enquiries are ongoing to confirm the identity of the deceased.”

Mr Moreno, 41, who worked at a Leeds brewery, was last seen more than eight months ago in August 2022.

A poster in Harrogate appealing for help

He was spotted on CCTV catching a 36 bus to Harrogate at Leeds bus station at 6.10am on Monday, August 1.

He got off the bus at Swindon Lane near Dunkeswick, just north of Harewood bridge on the A61, at 6.39am.

He was then seen on CCTV near the bridge at 8.14am.

Today’s news comes two weeks after West Yorkshire Police said it had “exhausted every possible line of enquiry” and issued a fresh appeal for help.

Police had searched the countryside and river near where Mr Moreno was last seen.

Drones were used and the family even used a psychic to try to help.

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Officers from West Yorkshire Police have said they have “exhausted every possible line of enquiry” into missing man Jesus Moreno.

Mr Moreno, 41, who worked at a Leeds brewery, was last seen eight months ago in August 2022.

The brewer was spotted on CCTV catching a Harrogate-bound 36 bus from Leeds bus station at 6.10am on Monday, August 1.

He got off the bus at Swindon Lane near Dunkeswick, just north of Harewood bridge on the A61, at 6.39am. He was then seen on CCTV near the bridge at 8.14am.

In a fresh appeal, Detective Inspector Ryan Malyk, who has overseen the missing person investigation, said the force had explored all possible lines of enquiry into Mr Moreno’s disappearance.

He said:

“We recently met with Jesus’ family to give them a detailed overview of the work that we have been carrying out to find him since he was reported missing.

“We are acutely aware that they are continuing to go through a really difficult time while his disappearance remains unresolved.

“It is completely out of character for him to go missing like this and to remain out of contact with his family and friends for such a long period of time.

“As it stands, we have explored and exhausted every possible line of enquiry to find him, and unfortunately that has not brought us any progress beyond the last confirmed sighting of him at Harewood Bridge.

“We remain committed to finding him and would welcome any new information that could assist us.”

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Mr Moreno was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, with the logo of his Piglove Brewing Co business on it, black jeans and carrying a black Vans rucksack with a chequered pattern on it.

Police said he was known to have previously visited nearby beauty spots on the River Wharfe at Netherby.

A new image of Jesus Moreno released by West Yorkshire Police.

Police search advisers oversaw a number of searches of the countryside surrounding where Mr Moreno was last seen.

Specialist marine and underwater search officers checked the surface of the River Wharfe down to Ulleskelf, North Yorkshire, and carried out underwater searches of specific locations along the waterway.

The force said detectives from Leeds District CID have conducted extensive enquiries over the time since he was reported missing, but had not yielded any new information on his whereabouts.

Anyone with information can call West Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting reference 13220422334.

Searches continue for two men who have been missing in the Harrogate district since last year.

Gavin Dhont, Ripon, and Jesus Moreno, Leeds, have both not been seen since late 2022.

Officers at both North Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Police have reissued appeals for any sightings of both men.

Mr Moreno, who worked at a Leeds brewery, has been missing for five months after last being seen in August 2022.

The brewer was spotted on CCTV catching a 36 bus from Leeds bus station at 6.10am on Monday, August 1.

He got off the bus at Swindon Lane near Dunkeswick, just north of Harewood bridge on the A61, at 6.39am. He was then seen on CCTV near the bridge at 8.14am.

Posters were put up in Harrogate looking for missing man Jesus Moreno.

However, searches of the area carried out by West Yorkshire Police have not resulted in any findings.

A force spokesperson told the Stray Ferret that Mr Moreno’s case remains “the subject of a high risk missing person investigation”.

They added:

“Officers from Leeds CID are continuing to support the family and give them a detailed overview of their enquiries so far.”

Anyone with information can call West Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting reference 13220422334.

Ripon man missing for more than a month

North Yorkshire Police has reiterated an appeal for any information on Gavin Dhont, who has been missing from Ripon for more than a month.

Mr Dhont was last seen in the city on Tuesday, December 6 and officers said they are extremely worried for his welfare.

Police have carried out searches for the 45-year-old, including the use of police dogs and the police drone, but with no gain.

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He is known to enjoys walks in areas including the Hell Wath, Studley Roger, Studley Royal Park and along the River Ure. He also enjoys visiting Ripon Wetlands.

North Yorkshire Police Inspector, Ed Rogerson, said:

“We’re really grateful to everyone who has been in touch to support our search and we’re asking the public once again to please keep your eyes peeled for any sightings. Every piece of information reported to us is really valuable so do get in touch by calling 101 if you can help.

“We know Gavin enjoys walking in the local area so if you are out and about, please keep Gavin in mind. Thank you.”

Mr Dhont is described as of thin build with short dark brown hair.

Anyone who has seen him since he went missing or who believes they know his whereabouts is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police as a matter of urgency on 101, or call 999 in an emergency and quote either his name or reference 12220219012.

Police are appealing for information on a missing Leeds man who may have travelled to the Harrogate area.

Jesus Moreno, 41, is described as of Spanish origin with long curly brown hair, a long brown beard and wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

He is 5ft 7in tall and has an orange octopus tattoo on his upper left arm.

West Yorkshire Police believe he may have travelled to the Harrogate and Knaresborough area.

Officers have urged the public to call 101 referencing log number 1061 02-08.

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