THE mother of missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague has thanked police for deciding not to fill in the landfill where it is thought her son may be.
Nicola Urquhart has said the decision to leave the landfill site in its current state instead of covering it over again has giving her “hope”.
In a new update, Corrie’s mother admitted that she couldn’t understand why police were stopping the search for her son despite money not being an issue.
And she added that she had originally been told that the landfill would be handed back and re-filled before an independent review was undertaken.
However, she has now thanked thousands of supporters who signed a petition to stop this as well as paying tribute to the media for their coverage of her son’s disappearance.
She admitted that the news about the landfill being covered again had almost “broken” her but revealed that police would now not be touching the site until the review was carried out.
Nicola now says she has been given time to understand what the next steps will be and retains “hope” that her son will be found.
In a post on the Find Corrie Facebook page, she wrote: “In my last updates we asked for your support and for your voices.
“Just like you, we could not understand the decision by Suffolk and Norfolk Police to stop the search for Corrie when they felt Corrie was still in the landfill, yet were saying that money was not as issue.
We were also told that there would be an independent review being carried out but that the landfill would be handed back and filled in.
“In just three days, over 24,583 people have signed the petition that Kelly Morris set up on behalf of my family.
“To each and every single person that took the time out of their own busy lives to write kind and heartfelt letters to the Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable.
“Cheryl and Wayne, Sonia and Smiffy and all the staff at the Bull Inn, you are our crazy Suffolk Family. I can never begin to put into words all you have done for us and continue to do for us.
“To the BBC, ITV, SKY, EADT, BFTV, radio and papers I just can’t name you all, but your amazing positive constant coverage has let Corrie’s disappearance stay in people’s hearts and minds.
“I would like to thank you all. I thought on Friday this had finally broken me, and without you all, I do not know how I could have got through this. I say thank you but i wish you could just feel how deeply and heartfelt these thanks are.
“I am so pleased that Suffolk Police have heard our voices and listened. The decision they came to, without us having to say anymore than was said over the weekend on here and in the press, was;
“They have heard our concerns at the landfill being handed back and being filled in and have now said although handed back, it will not be touched and will remain in the same condition until after the review by an independent force.
“This was going to be Essex, whom I know would have carried out this review to the highest standard, but for complete transparency and to go that extra mile to ensure trust and faith in Suffolk Police.
“Suffolk Police are now requesting another force carry out this review. I personally believe this shows the highest Integrity and honesty of the Chief Constable of Suffolk.
“So now, without the need for injunctions we can pause, we have now been given time, time to catch up, time to understand and time to talk about exactly how Suffolk Police have come to their decision.
“This does not mean they are going to search the landfill, but as I wrote in an earlier post, we now have not lost that option.
“I always try to stay realistic, It may be the case that my family agree with where the police are in stopping the search at the landfill.
“It may be the case that after we have been given our own Family Review, which will take place in August,that we do not agree,
“This does not mean the police will start searching again, but it does mean they are listening to us and will take what we say into consideration. This is called HOPE.
“With all this said, can I ask that no more e mails are sent to Tim Passmore the Crime Commissioner, and to the Chief Constable of Suffolk on our behalf.
“Finally I would like to say thank you to Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott, To Detective Inspector Mike Brown and our Debbies, Thank you for listening, thank you for not making us fight any longer to understand, thank you for giving us HOPE that we may still find Corrie.
“Thank you, Nicola, Makeyan, Corrie, Darroch and our Family x x x x.”
Corrie, 23, went missing after a night out in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk in September last year.
His father, Martin McKeague, has recently parked his motorhome to block the entrance to the landfill site in Cambridgeshire in an attempt to get officer to keep looking for his son.
