Family of missing Gosport Royal Navy veteran plead for extra help in their search

Neil Vidler, a former Royal Navy engineer, has been reported as missing after last being seen in his family home in Alverstoke, Gosport, at 5.30am on Tuesday, March 3.

His disappearance has been described as ‘out of character’, with his phone switched off and concerns raised about him not taking his diabetes medication.

The former engineer served in the Royal Navy for 30 years.

Now, daughter Margaret is asking for anyone who’s available today to give them a helping hand with the search.

She said: ‘We’ve not heard anything yet but have got lots of people out looking for him.

‘Now that it’s lighter we’ve got more of a chance to find him, but the more people that can help out the better.’

Neil currently works as an engineer for Babcock, and is believed to be wearing a long sleeve t-shirt, black trousers, and grey hiking shoes.

He is apparently known to walk from the HMS Sultan area and sometimes travels to Bishops Waltham to see his mother.

Margaret added: ‘So far we’ve looked in Gosport where he works, we’ve had people in Portsmouth looking for him around Cosham and people have gone out to Fareham and Bishops Waltham.

‘There were reports that he might have been on a bus to Portchester yesterday morning – but we have no idea where he is.’

Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting the reference number 865-03/03/202.