POLICE have been continuing the search for the body of retired teacher Peter Coshan in Northumberland today (September 3), three weeks since he was last seen.
Two men have been charged with the murder of Peter Coshan, but investigators have still not found the 75-year-old’s body three weeks since he was last seen in Edinburgh.
On Saturday officers were seen scouring land off the A696 near Capheaton and Kirkwhelpington as part of their search efforts.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police are carrying out enquiries in this area in relation to our search for Peter Coshan.”
One eyewitness who had been attending Kirkwhelpington show told the Hexham Courant's sister paper The Northern Echo they had seen a heavy police presence, “forensics and a white tent up on the edge of the field near the Capheaton turn off.”
Speaking previously Detective Superintendent Andrew Patrick from Police Scotland said: “I believe the areas of the Scottish Borders and Northumberland are key to helping us find Peter.
“We are following the evidence to focusing on specific areas and searching through those areas one at a time in a structured and organised manner, with specialists from Police Scotland, our search partners, and really deploying all available resources in an effort to find Peter.”
“This is obviously a very distressing time for Peter’s family and our priority is to find him,” he said.
“I’m appealing for anyone who may have been in the Scottish Borders and Northumberland, including travelling on the A7 or A68, or any other roads in these areas, during the hours of darkness on either Monday August 15 or Tuesday August 16 this year.
“That evening and the early morning was at the end of very hot weather that we have had and there was a warning for thunderstorms and I would ask anyone who’s been in those areas to think back to that time.”
Detectives are hunting for information about a “black or dark coloured 57 plate Vauxhall Vectra” that may have been seen in and around the area.
DS Patrick added: “I’m also keen to speak to anybody who travelled those areas regularly and has a dash cam. Please check the footage as it may have captured something which could prove vital in our ongoing inquiries to locate Peter.”
Paul Black, 63, also known as Joseph Hillary, and Paul McNaughton, 27, have both appeared in court charged with the murder of Mr Coshan.
Black and McNaughton appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on August 18, with the pair also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice and theft. They made no plea when they appeared in private at the court.
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