A man and woman have been arrested following a major search to find a missing pensioner - thanks to a tip-off from a sharp-eyed Sheppey taxi driver.

Many Islanders and a police helicopter took part in the hunt for 76-year-old former school teacher Doug Kimber.

At one point there were so many volunteers they were asked to stay in their cars as the helicopter crew was picking them up on a heat-seeking camera.

The two suspects are believed to have been arrested after a tip-off from Minster cabbie Janice Crawford, 53. She says she had them and Mr Kimber in the back of her iCars taxi on the day of the search.

Neil McLennan, iCars' controller, said: "I took a phone call at 5.45pm from a woman asking for a ride from Sheerness to the Coop at Queenborough. But we ended up dropping them off in Minster."

He added: "When I saw Mr Kimber's photo posted on Facebook I forwarded it all our drivers and asked them to keep a look out for him. When Janice saw it she was convinced she had just had him in the back of her cab, so we called 999."

Mr Kimber was later found safe in Queenborough.

Mrs Crawford said: "I picked all three of them up in Sheerness High Street opposite the Poundstretcher store. The woman seemed to be in charge and did all the talking. She wanted to go to Queenborough Coop but then changed her mind and asked to be dropped off in Noreen Avenue near the play area because she said she had left her keys at home.

"I had to pick up another fare so had to leave them there. But when Neil showed me the photo I told him I thought the man had been my last fare. I had some concerns at the time but not enough to flag up under safeguarding."

Alan Bolshaw, who chairs the licensing committee of Woverhampton City Council, where iCars is licensed, said: "We recognise taxi drivers can act as ‘the eyes and ears of the community’ on identifying safeguarding issues. Public safety is our foremost priority when licensing drivers. All our private hire drivers undertake mandatory safeguarding training.

"Thankfully, our driver training programme played an important role in this instance with Janice being able to recognise a potential safeguarding situation and take the appropriate action."

Mr Kimber was reported missing on Sunday, January 10. His son Neil said: "I'd like to thank everyone for helping look for my dad. It seemed like the whole Island came out on a dark and wet Sunday night. It was a great community spirit."

Police have confirmed a man and woman have been arrested.

They say the incident is not linked to a pensioner from Sittingbourne who was taken to Chatham the day before Mr Kimber went missing. It was a taxi driver who raised the alarm then, too.

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