Fears for woman, 20, who disappeared after leaving train at rural beauty spot

10 January 2024 , 11:40

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Annie Dryden hasn't been seen in nearly a week (Image: Evening Gazette)

Detectives have shared their fears for a 20-year-old woman who was last seen alighting a train at a small rural hamlet nearly a week ago.

Annie Dryden hasn't been seen since Thursday last week when she boarded a train in Middlesborough to Battersby, North Yorkshire. The small station is at the end of a train line and on the edge of the North York Moors national park.

Cleveland Police believe the young woman may have been planning on going camping and detectives said they were "very concerned" for her welfare following a fruitless six-day search. The force is now asking local residents to check outbuildings such as sheds and huts in the area in case she may have taken refuge there.

The 20-year-old boarded the train at 2.09pm on Thursday, January 4, at Middlesborough's James Cook railway station before getting off at 2.38pm at Battersby. She was described as 5ft 10ins tall, slim and with a distinctive dark hairstyle with a blonde fringe and a scar above her top lip. She was also carrying a green and black walking backpack at the time, police said.

CCTV shows Annie getting off the train at Battersby, North Yorkshire (The Gazette)

A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: "Annie has potential to be camping and may have headed into North Yorkshire rural areas. Police are asking people to check any outbuildings or shelters for signs of anyone being there and urge anyone in Battersby or the surrounding areas who may have seen her to get in touch as a matter of urgency."

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Superintendent Marc Anderson from the force said: “As time goes on we are very concerned for Annie’s welfare. We are looking to locate her safely and would ask her to make contact with police or contact someone in her family, as they are also obviously very worried.

“From our enquiries we have established that Annie headed to Battersby by train on Thursday afternoon, 4 January, and so we’d ask anyone in that area or the surrounding areas to contact us urgently if they have seen her.” Anyone with information or anyone who may have seen Annie is asked to contact police urgently on 101, and quote reference number 002768.

Susie Beever