Fears grow for missing Beds couple after Nepal earthquake

A Shefford fire chief and his wife, trekking in Nepal, are still missing four days after a major earthquake hit the country.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue are concerned for the safety of Crew Commander Clive Wilkinson and his wife Heather, last heard of trekking in the Langtang region, north of Kathmandu, Nepal.

Clive was last in contact with his sister Karen Wilkinson-Bell, who lives in Yorkshire, after the main earthquake struck the region but contact has been lost with him since then.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Bedfordshire, Glen Ranger, has made contact with one of the international Fire and Rescue Service search teams deployed to the area to assist in locating and contacting him.

Clive and Heather live in Shefford, and Clive has been with Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service since 1989. He is currently Crew Commander at Kempston Community Fire Station.

Clive sponsors a child in Nepal and has a history of working with young people in the UK including sailing with young people to help them develop as part of a team in often challenging conditions. He participated in a Tall Ships event in Baltic and Norway 2013/2014.

Karen Wilkinson-Bell, , said “My brother has been supporting a family in Nepal since he first travelled there 10 years ago, and had met up with them in Kathmandu only last week, before he and Heather embarked on their trek through the Langtang Valley. I know he will be very concerned for his local friends there, and doing what he can to help.

“We just hope they are ok, as we know the area they are in is now suffering greatly in the aftermath of the earthquake. We are very grateful to Bedfordshire Fire Service for their help in trying to locate them”

Glen Ranger, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, said: “At present the Service has Clive, his wife and family in our thoughts and we have offered any support and assistance we can give to his family. We will keep in contact with the Fire and Rescue Search team in Nepal to assist in locating him as soon as possible. It is possible he is helping with the rescue efforts there already.”

More than 5,000 people are now known to have been killed following the earthquake on Saturday.

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