Positive news in the search for DJ Derek: he’s been spotted across the UK

Police officers hunting for legendary Bristol DJ, Derek Serpell-Morris, have reported ten “positive” sightings of him across the UK. 

The 73 year-old, who pioneered rocksteady, reggae, ska and dancehall music in the UK, was last seen on July 10 at the Commercial Rooms pub in Corn Street.

Concern had grown for Derek after it was reported he had complained of head pains when he took the bus to his home in St Paul’s at around 11pm.

He never arrived home that night and officers found he had not used his bank account or bought anything from that date.

Derek has now been missing for more than three weeks.

Officers are now combing the city centre and will widen the search after dozens of people rang in with sightings of Derek.

Some of the calls have come from as far as Ireland, although police believe he is still in the Bristol area.

A check of CCTVs in Leeds showed one sighting to be false. DJ Derek is known to travel to pubs around the country.

None of the hospitals in the Bristol area have seen him, after checks were done today.

Acting Detective Inspector Clare Hargreaves told the Bristol Post: “There are teams of people at the moment following some leads from the public.”

“There could be a number of reasons why Derek has gone missing, and hopefully we will find him safe and well.

“There are lots of different specialist teams. We will start working from the last positive sighting of him and work outwards from there.

“We have been in touch with the family and just spoke to them this afternoon. There are obviously growing concerns for him, because we have not heard from him in three weeks.

“We need to raise the public awareness for him.”

Celebrities including Dizzee Rascal, Massive Attack’s Daddy G and Radio 1’s Rob Da Bank have all appealed for member of the public to come forward with information regarding Derek’s whereabouts.

Police are sure he has not gone missing before, and that this disappearance was out of character.

DC Hargreaves added: “He is quite a private person and keeps himself to himself but he seems to travel a lot. But when he has travelled, he has always been in contact with his family, but he hasn’t this time.

“He hasn’t got a mobile phone.

“We have re-checked with the hospitals in Bristol, and he wasn’t there. His GP records show there were no health concerns and no issues.

“There are concerns, but no reason to fear the worst.”