CCTV released showing smiling mum's final movements hours before she vanished
Footage of Gaynor Lord’s last known movements have been released by police with a timeline here of her disappearance.
Norfolk Police is appealing to anyone who may have seen Gaynor or have dashcam or doorbell footage of her before she went missing in Norwich. Gaynor left Jarrold department store via Bedford Street at 2.45pm on Friday afternoon (December 8) and walked along London Street, Queens Street and toward the cathedral. She had not been due to finish her shift until 4pm.
The CCTV footage shows the 55-year-old walking to and from the cathedral, on Queens Street and continuing to walk along St George’s Street at 3.49pm near to the Playhouse in Norwich. Gaynor is then seen to walk along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street and finally up St Augustines Street at 4.01pm, the last sighting of her on CCTV before going missing.
Police were alerted that Gaynor, a married mother-of-three, had gone missing on Friday after her possessions were found in Wensum Park just after 8pm. She was identified by ID found in her handbag at the scene.
Gaynor’s clothing, that she had been wearing when she went missing, including a white shirt, yellow tank top plus two rings and her mobile phone and glasses, were found in the park in various locations. Her olive-coloured coat was discovered in the water.
Nicola Bulley's children 'cried their eyes out' after being told 'mummy's lost'Wensum Park has been closed off to the public since Saturday and specialist teams continue to carry out extensive searches of the land and water. Searches have been carried out in the River Wensum with assistance from the constabulary’s Marine Unit, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service and the Coastguard.
Specialist underwater search teams from Lincolnshire Police have arrived on site today (13 December). They will be joining Norfolk officers to search the river.
Police believe it is likely that Gaynor may have entered the water and - due to the location of where Gaynor’s clothing and possessions were found - continues to be the area that is the primary focus of searches. Norwich Policing Commander, Superintendent Wes Hornigold, said: “Today we are releasing the footage of Gaynor’s last known steps on Friday afternoon before she went missing.
We hope this will help to jog the memory of anyone who may have seen her in the city that afternoon or who may have footage of her journey. We are particularly keen on hearing from anyone who may have seen Gaynor in the cathedral grounds which she enters at 2.50pm and leaves at 3.23pm
"It’s not clear where she goes inside the cathedral grounds during this time so we’re keen to hear from anyone who may have seen her there. We are continuing our extensive searches but would appeal to the public to come forward with any information which may help to find Gaynor. In the footage you can clearly see what she was wearing when she went missing.
"This is a particularly stressful time for her family and specialist officers continue to provide support.” Gaynor is described as white, 5 ft 6 tall, and was wearing a white shirt and yellow tank top with a large olive-coloured coat over the top and a scarf.
She has blonde shoulder length hair in a bob. Anyone with information or who knows of her whereabouts should contact Norfolk Police on 101 quoting incident number 427 of 8 December 2023.
Timeline of Gaynor’s movements before going missing on Friday 8 December, 2023:
- 2.44pm – Gaynor is working at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement at Jarrold department store – her clothing is clearly visible
- 2.45-2.46pm – She leaves the store via the loading bay on Bedford Street
- 2.47pm – Walks onto London Street past the Cosy Club
- 2.48pm – Gaynor makes her way onto Queens Street and walks toward the Cathedral
- 3.22pm – Gaynor is seen on The Close at the cathedral entrance – shortly before exiting through the archway she puts her coat on
- 3.23pm – She is seen to walk away from the cathedral on Queens Street – here you can see a clear image of the coat she was wearing
- 3.49pm – This is the last sighting of Gaynor on CCTV near the Playhouse on St George’s Street
- 3.53pm – Walks along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street
- 4.01pm – Gaynor walks up St Augustines Street – her final movements captured in CCTV before going missing