Search Intensifies for Missing Family After Car Fire on M61
It’s been a month since Constance Marten, Mark Gordon, and their baby vanished after their car was found ablaze on the M61 hard shoulder near junction four, Farnworth, Bolton.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford from the Met’s East Area Command said, “Previous appeals have generated around 300 calls from the public, but sadly none have led to the family being found.” He urged anyone with information to come forward, emphasising a reward of up to £10,000 is on offer for details that help locate the trio.
Trail of Sightings and Mysterious Movements
The last confirmed sightings show the family’s desperate attempts to survive in freezing conditions. They were dropped off near the port entrance at Newhaven by taxi at 4:56am on Sunday, 8 January, before moving on foot. Around 6am, they were seen sheltering under an overpass where the A259 crosses the B2109 road.
By 6:15am, the couple and their baby were walking along Cantercrow Hill carrying multiple bags and a blue tent. Police believe they have been camping in the surrounding fields since then. However, due to the time elapsed, they may have travelled far from that area.
Chilling Details of Their Journey Emerge
- On Saturday, 7 January at 11:46pm, the family abandoned their pushchair in Flower and Dean Walk, E1, Whitechapel.
- Earlier that day, Mark and Constance were spotted in Harwich around 9am, carrying an orange carrier bag and a pram, both wearing masks over their faces.
- Mark was seen entering Argos on Whitechapel Road at 6:19pm, buying camping gear including a blue two-man tent, two sleeping bags, and pillows, reportedly paying in cash.
- They tried flagging down taxis along Whitechapel Road but were refused, then moved towards Brick Lane and later took a taxi to Haringey.
- At 1:24am on Sunday, 8 January, they took a taxi from Allison Road, Haringey to Newhaven, arriving shortly before being seen walking along Cantercrow Hill.
Urgent Appeal: Baby’s Safety Tops Priority
“For a month now, Mark, Constance, and her newborn baby have been on the move in sub-zero temperatures with no medical help. We are very worried for their safety,” said Detective Basford.
“We know the baby was alive on 8 January. Finding the infant remains our top priority. If you have any info—perhaps you saw them, gave them directions, or interacted with them—now is the time to come forward. It doesn’t matter why you didn’t speak up before. Do the right thing for this vulnerable child.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact police immediately. The reward of up to £10,000 remains available for tips that lead to finding the missing family.
