THE distraught family of missing Co Antrim cyclist Samuel Campbell have told how “we just want him home”. The 49-year-old went out for a bike ride from his home in the Kells area on New Year’s Day. He didn’t come home. Police have said they are very concerned about the father-of-three, but are hopeful he is still alive.
Laverne Campbell, 47, said “there was nothing” which could explain her husband’s disappearance. Mrs Campbell last saw him on the Tully Road in Kells, close to Ballymena, at around 2.15pm on Sunday.
Mr Campbell, who is 6ft, slim with short, dark hair, was wearing a red top with the letters TCG and black tracksuit bottoms. He was riding a white road bike. Detective Inspector Bob Blemmings said police were “extremely concerned” about Mr Campbell and, despite high winds, the PSNI helicopter had been deployed.
He said that extensive searches of the Ballymena area are also being carried out by police officers, sniffer dogs, partner agencies and the local community. David Campbell, the missing man’s elder brother, said: “We just don’t know what the situation is. We can only tell you that we wish he was back again.
“We work together – he is an electrical contractor and I’m a building contractor. We are the youngest of five boys and are very close. “Some people call him Sammy and some call him Sam. He has a wee grandson Troy. Saturday was Troy time and you couldn’t have got Sam to do anything on a Saturday morning.”Mrs Campbell said her husband “did everything 100 per cent”. “He is committed to his work, his family and to cycling. He did everything 100 per cent. He wanted to get his training started early and that is why he went out on Sunday.”David, who also cycles, said: “Once we are up and running we could do 50 miles on a run. Sam is quite capable of it.
“We just want anyone who saw him to contact the police so he can be found. We want as much information as possible to try to get him back.”David added that the police have searched a 20-mile radius looking for his brother.
“They are doing all they can, and we are doing all we can,” he said. “We are asking for anyone who saw him to contact the police. We just want him to come home. He was out riding on his own, which is not unusual. There was nothing unusual other than he didn’t come back.”David added that his brother is a “well-known man” through his church work, cycling and business. Earlier, Mr Blemmings, who is leading the operation, said “extensive” searches are being carried out.
The detective said police were following a number of lines of inquiry – including that Mr Campbell had become ill or had an accident. He appealed for farmers to check outbuildings and laneways. “We are following several lines of inquiry but we really need more information on where he was last seen. The potential is that he had taken ill and is sheltering somewhere,” he said.
“It is crucial that anyone who has seen him contact the police in Ballymena as soon as they can.”Mr Blemmings said there has been huge support in the search for Mr Campbell from his family and friends.
“He hasn’t cycled much over Christmas and this was him coming back into training with 20 or 25 miles. We are continuing to check a local route that he had taken - but that is not to say that he had not gone somewhere different.”Mr Blemmings said extra officers were being drafted in from outside the area to continue the search.