Family's heartache after missing man disappears in the middle of the night with police search launched

The heartbroken family of a missing man who disappeared in the middle of the night have issued another desperate appeal to help find him as the search enters its third day.

Andrew, known as Andy, who lives in Eccles, was last seen on Barton Lane on Monday evening (March 11). His mum Jeanette, who had been staying with him due to an appointment he had the following day, said he went to bed that night at around 11pm.

However, after waking up at 5.30am and checking on him, she noticed he had gone. Initially assuming he had gone for a walk, Andrew, who is a vulnerable adult, was reported missing later that morning when he still hadn't returned, at around 8am.

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Andrew, who is described as "fit and sporty" by his loved ones, was then diagnosed with Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in 2021. He had been working as an engineer on the Co-Op Live Arena when the debilitating condition left him paralysed, meaning he had to learn to walk and talk again.

It is this condition, that requires vital medication, that means Andrew walks distinctively, almost as though he is "dragging his feet" and also affects his speech. His family wanted to raise specific awareness about the condition in an appeal for possible sightings, saying that "some people might think he is drunk".

Speaking of the night he went missing, Jeanette said "He made the tea and we had normal conversation that night. He went to bed at around 11pm and then I got up and checked him at 5.30am, but he wasn't there and was not answering his phone. I thought that maybe he had just gone out for a walk."

However Andrew was reported missing a few hours later after he failed to return home.

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