Fears RSPCA officer was swept out to sea

AN RSPCA inspector is feared to have been swept out to sea by Storm Imogen after he went to the rescue of stranded birds on the Cornish coastline.

Mike Reid, 54, has not been seen since he was called out to 30 gannets stuck on rocks near Penzance on the afternoon of Feb 7.

Police and the Coastguard searched the area, aided by his colleagues. His wife, Tracey Reid, 45, said she feared the father-of-three had fallen into the sea.

She said: “He’s been an RSPCA inspector for 30 years and loves his job. He loves animals and would do anything to rescue them.

“We are all devastated and feeling numb, but we just don’t know what is happening at the moment.”

Insp Jean Phillips, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “We are ex- tremely concerned for Mike’s welfare, particularly with the wet and windy weather overnight.”

Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesman, said strong winds were recorded at the time Mr Reid went missing as Storm Imogen began to reach Cornwall.

Much of the country was also lashed by hurricane-force winds that reached nearly 100mph.