Police trawl riverbanks in search for missing mother, 34

Police divers were today carrying out underwater searches for a missing bride-to-be after finding some of her belongings discarded on a riverbank.

Mother of one Victoria Taylor, 34, a nurse, was engaged to be married to her partner Matthew and the couple had just returned from their first family holiday in Majorca.

She has now been missing for three days in bad weather after being spotted walking towards the River Derwent, discarding some of her possessions on the way.

Her family told MailOnline her disappearance was 'totally out of character' and she had been looking forward to the wedding.

No date had been set but the ceremony was to take place at the Roman Catholic Parish church in the market town of Malton, North Yorkshire, where Matthew is regular at Sunday Mass.

Victoria, known to family as Vikki, was last seen at home in Malton around 9am on Monday with Matthew and their two-year-old daughter. She was Facetiming siblings.

Matthew and Victoria then left with their daughter to visit his parents. Victoria then left his parents' house and did not return, said her sister Heidi Baker, who is currently scouring the area with her siblings for any sign of their loved one.

The family have criticised the police response to Victoria's disappearance. She works as a geriatric nurse at a local care home and has never gone missing before.

Read More

Mother Gaynor Lord who went missing said she wanted to be 'like Nicola Bulley', inquest hears

Heidi said Victoria was caught on CCTV buying a bottle of Dr Pepper and a bottle of water at a nearby Mark and Spencer outlet at the BP garage in Welham Road.

A local lady saw her crossing the railway crossing near Lidl store in Welham Road about 11.30 to 12 noon, heading towards the River Derwent.

A woman in an house near the play park saw her coming down the path leading to the River.

She was then seen by locals passing a local children's play park, the Riverside Playground, and walking along a thickly overgrown path next to the river between 11.30am and noon.

The soft drinks bottles were found by the family in a clearing along the path. Police confirmed these had been purchased on Victoria's card earlier.

Further along the path, at an undisclosed location, police found a discarded green camouflage cap she had been wearing on the garage's CCTV footage.

Officers also found her rucksack, a salmon pink Vans brand. The items were found just lying in the open, not hidden.

A discarded wine bottle was also found but is not yet clear if it was connected.

There were no signs of her boarding buses or trains at the local train and bus station and no activity on her cash card since buying the soft drinks.

Sister Heidi Baker was yesterday scouring the footpath with her siblings and extended family. She said: 'We are a big family and we are all out looking.'

'Her possessions they found were not all together. They were scattered. They have not located her phone or her Samsung smart watch which could be tracked.

'Her phone was ringing until yesterday afternoon.

'She was engaged to be married to Matthew but had not set a date.' 

Read More

Nicola Bulley's partner reveals 'conflict' with police over tragic mother's private details

Heidi continued: 'They had just got back from their first family holiday together to Majorca. It was the first one they had had together as a family.'

Speaking from the clearing where the bottles were found, another sister, Emma Worden said: 'I just think the police should be doing more. We have only seen a handful of police.

'This is a young lady who has got a two year old daughter. Her partner is absolutely distraught. It is just out of character for her not to be in touch.

'They found items of her stuff here. But there is nothing - absolutely no trace of her. It is a small town and the community is doing more than the police. They should have got the dogs out when they found her things.

'The longer she has not been found the more chance she is likely to be in the water and that is hard.'

The wedding was to have taken place at St Leonard and St Mary Roman Catholic Church in Church Hill, Malton.

Heidi added: 'Matthew is a devout Catholic. He is a regular there at Sunday Mass. He will be praying to God at the moment.'

Inspector Leanne Anderson said: 'There are a range of enquiries taking place to try and locate Victoria. 

'This is still a missing person enquiry, and the focus of our activity is within the Malton/Norton area.

'Extensive searches will take place today and I would urge members of the public to remain vigilant and report sightings or pass information to police immediately on 101 or 999.'

Malton is a market town on the River Derwent with a population of just under 5,000.

Locals shared their sadness on social media after finding out that Victoria was missing.

One wrote: 'Victoria worked at the care home where my Mum spent her final years.

'She was a real professional and I always felt my Mum (who was suffering from dementia) was 100% safe when Victoria was on shift.

'She is a truly lovely person and I pray she is found safe and well soon. My thoughts are with her family.'