Rebecca Holdham, a 38-year-old mother of two, is the subject of an urgent police search after her children returned to their West Sussex home on Sunday to find her missing.
Holdham, known as Becky, was last seen at an address in the Ockley Park estate at about 10 a.m. on Sunday and has not been seen since, Sussex Police said. Officers said they are growing increasingly concerned for her welfare and have launched extensive enquiries to establish her whereabouts.
Local volunteers and family members have spent nights searching fields and woods around the village and surrounding countryside. Sussex Police said physical searches, house-to-house enquiries and checks of CCTV and doorbell camera footage are under way, and residents will see an increased police presence while inquiries continue.
Detective Inspector Chris May, of the West Sussex Missing Persons Team, said investigators believe Holdham left the address on foot. He described her as about 5 feet 4 inches tall with shoulder-length brown hair and said she has a tattoo on her ankle. At this stage, police do not know what clothing she was wearing when she was last seen.
Friends and relatives said Holdham’s disappearance is out of character. Her mother, Alison, said searchers had found no trace of her daughter so far. Her best friend, Kerry Malby, said the family had no idea whether Holdham left of her own accord or had been taken, and described her as a "devoted mum" and a keen horsewoman. "She wouldn't just leave her children," Malby said. "We can't understand it."
Police said the children were not left alone and urged anyone who has seen or heard from Holdham since Sunday morning to contact officers. Investigators are also following up on the woman’s local and wider connections, with officers noting she has links to the Hassocks area and to Burgess Hill, Horsham, Worthing, Devon and Dorset.
Sussex Police asked anyone with information to call 999 and quote serial 1359 of 07/09. Officers stressed that even small details could assist the ongoing enquiries.
The force has deployed specialist resources, including search dogs and a police helicopter, to widen the search area. Neighbourhood officers and volunteers continue door-to-door checks as part of a coordinated effort to locate Holdham and establish what happened after she left the Ockley Park address on Sunday morning.
No arrests have been reported. The investigation remains active and police said they will release further information when it becomes available.