Rachel Pickthall has been birdwatching for as long as she can remember. It's a passion she shared with her older brother Simon and as children, the pair spent many an evening together camped out in their back garden, bird guide in one hand and binoculars in the other.
In late December 2013, Simon, then aged 48, travelled to Bempton Cliffs on the Yorkshire coast, the UK's largest mainland seabird colony. The last few years hadn't been kind to him. His marriage had broken down and he had recently been diagnosed as bipolar. At the time, Rachel was living in Dubai, over 5,000 miles away. That's where she was when she got the phonecall telling her that Simon's beloved campervan had been found abandoned in the sanctuary's car park and that her brother was nowhere to be found.
For more information on this case, and every episode from every series visit https://themissingpodcast.org
And to visit details of the most recent appeals - like the one you may have heard in this episode, please visit : https://missingpeople.org.uk/recent
If you want to listen to The Missing COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.
The Missing + is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series and bonus episodes, and everything is completely ad-free. We will never put episodes behind a paywall, because we want as many people as possible to listen and spread the word about these important cases. But if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.
As well as The Missing, there's a whole collection of shows on The Missing + From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' dedicated to forensic science, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - The Missing + has you covered.
Signing up is quick and simple.
If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for The Missing +, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.
If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : THE MISSING +
With a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.
This episode is presented by Pandora Sykes
https://www.instagram.com/pandorasykes
The Missing is a What's The Story? original
https://www.whatsthestorysounds.com/
The series is made with the support of two amazing charities, Missing People and Locate International
https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/
https://locate.international/
This episode was first produced in conjunction with Podimo
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Carmel Fenech
Steven Clark
S5: Season 5 is COMING - on June 12th
Human Trafficking
Anthony Stammers
Lorraine Freeman
Philip Fudge
Stephen Gibbs
Louise Tume
The Gentleman
Thomas Moore
Introducing: Smoking Gun
Mary Boyle
Lee Boxell
Andrew Capon
Fiona Sinnott
Steven Cooper
The Wembley Point Woman
Gary Burns
Sandy Davidson
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Ghosts of Dallas
Casefile True Crime
Slow Burn
The Dropout
Bed of Lies
Bad Blood: The Final Chapter