The family of murdered mum-of-three Rania Alayed is today, Thursday 2 January 2014, visiting a stretch of road near where she was believed to have been buried.
Rania’s uncle, Ali Aydi, visited a layby on the A19, near Thirsk, to check on the progress of the ongoing searches for his niece.
After being taken through the latest developments by GMP officers, he will update the rest of Rania’s family.
The search for Rania has been extensive and has involved hundreds of man hours from officers from two different police forces, GMP and North Yorkshire, supported by the military.
Last August officers contacted hundreds of motorists to help trace a campervan that could have been used in her disappearance.
Over the course of several months, officers have been looking for Rania’s body near a number of laybys next to a stretch of the A168/A19 near Thirsk.
As part of the investigation, detectives have established that a white campervan travelled from Manchester to the A19 around the time of her disappearance.
It is believed the vehicle stopped at a layby by the side of the A19 in the early hours of Saturday 8 June 2013.
The exact location of that specific layby is not known and, over the course of several search phases, officers have excavated a number of locations, all of which have now been ruled out.
Detective Chief Inspector Pete Marsh, of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team, said: Since Rania disappeared her family have understandably been desperate for answers.
We have kept them up-to-date on every major development and we felt it was important to invite them to one of the search locations so they can see first-hand what we’re doing.
I understand it isn’t an easy journey to make but I admire their determination to help the police in any way they can. I hope that Ali Aydi will now be able to reassure the rest of Rania’s family that we are doing everything in our power to find their daughter’s body.
I would also like to thank the public for their tremendous response to this so far. The search for Rania will not stop until we find her and I can assure the public that every time they provide us with information we look into it.
I know it’s been more than six months since Rania was taken from her family, but our determination to find her has never diminished.
Ali Aydi, Rania’s uncle, said: Rania was taken from us six months ago when she was brutally murdered, in the most beautiful years of her life. She leaves behind three children who face life without her. Her body is still to be found, so we can give her a dignified burial.
It has been very difficult for her parents who live in Lebanon and face an unknown future for their grandchildren. We are grateful to the community and the police for all they have done and continue to do.
We appeal to the public who have any information to come forward.
Anyone with information on the movements of the white camper van, should contact the Major Investigation Team on 0161 856 4711.
Three men have previously been charged in connection with Rania’s disappearance.
