9:58am Monday 22nd February 2010
THE family of David Franklin told of their fears for the ‘gentle giant’ after he has been missing for six days in often poor weather.
His father Neil Franklin, 55, of Westham, Weymouth, discovered his son’s car in one of their favourite walking spots and is increasingly concerned about his disappearance.
Fighting back the tears, he said: “Funnily enough, I took last week off work to be with David because he’d been a bit down lately.
“He was diagnosed with depression when he was 17 but you wouldn’t know it to talk to him. He’s a gentle giant of a man.
“After he was a bit depressed I made an appointment for him to see his psychiatrist last Monday but he went to Salisbury instead and came back in the early hours on Tuesday.
“The psychiatrist was going to come and see David at home but then David had to go for some blood test on Tuesday – as part of his treatment – and that’s the last we saw of him.
“I offered to go with him but he wanted to go by himself, he’s an adult I couldn’t stop him.”
He added: “I raised the alarm 24 hours later.
“When the police said they didn’t think David had left Dorset, I went for a drive with the wife and our granddaughter and we found the car.
“Affpuddle Woods is one of David’s favourite places to go walking, he’s camped there a few times.
“But he’s never gone off unprepared before, he’s always let us know and taken camping kit with him.”
Neil praised the 44 search and rescue volunteers who spent the weekend looking for David as ‘excellent.’ He added: “I’d like to thank them and everyone involved – the police have been good.
“We’ve just got to hope for the best, who knows what’s happened.”
Former Budmouth Techology College student David, who also attended Weymouth College and Kingston Maurward College, used to work at a mental health charity in Weymouth town centre before being made redundant three years ago.
He is a loving uncle, keen fisherman and walker, who 10 years ago walked from Weymouth to Salisbury to surprise his brother Baz.
Baz, 33, who now lives in Dorchester, said: “David’s had a mental illness for the last 10 years but when he was working he seemed quite happy with life for a few years.”
He added: “There’s been a big search party out there.
“We started searching ourselves a few days ago but there’s only so much we can do in a massive area of woodland.”
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