Dad's thanks in missing girl drama

Eric Baxter • Published 13 Mar 2010 14:00

THE father of two young Gourock girls who went missing for several hours spoke today about his family's ordeal.

Patrick Deeney said he and his wife Kathleen were 'really frightened' for the sisters' safety when they failed to turn up at Gourock Primary.

And he wanted to thank everyone who helped to search for the girls, who were totally unaware that hundreds of people were looking for them.

Hayden, 10, and nine-year-old Morgan left their Newton Street home at 8.45am on Wednesday to go to school - and were found sitting in the Oak Mall, right, at 1.10pm after an alert security guard spotted them on the CCTV cameras.

The police had earlier asked the Mall to keep an eye open for the youngsters, who didn't go to school because they missed their bus and were worried about being late.

Patrick, 49, explained: "They had heard Kathleen and I talking the night before about going to the Mall that morning to do shopping, so they decided to walk there and meet us."

The alarm was raised by the school, which phoned Patrick and Kathleen to tell them the girls had not arrived.

The police were called and Patrick and his family mobilised an army of searchers - hundreds of taxi drivers, bus drivers and others were scouring the streets looking for the youngsters.

He said: "We had no idea what had happened to them. It was particularly worrying because we moved here from Oxford six months ago so they don't the area very well.

"We didn't know if they had maybe got on the wrong bus and had ended up in Largs or somewhere else.

"It was a terrible few hours until the police called to say the girls had been found.

"We were so relieved and couldn't wait to see them again. They got a fright when they realised the fuss they had caused.

"The police brought them home and, when we asked the girls what they had been doing all that time in the Mall, they said they were looking for a Mothers' Day present."

Patrick added: "We're just glad they're safe and sound - but they've been told not to do anything like that again."

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 13 Mar 10

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