Hayley Holmes’ boyfriend may have drowned too, fear police

Robbie Crofts remains missing after his girfriend was found washed up on a Wirral beach Detectives investigating the unexplained death of a 17-year-old girl whose body was found on a beach fear her missing boyfriend may also be dead. Hayley Holmes’s body was found on the beach at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, Wirral, on Monday morning. A postmortem examination established that she had drowned. Her boyfriend Robbie Crofts was last seen at 8pm on Sunday. Merseyside police believe the couple had spent the day together in Liverpool city centre at the Mathew Street Festival. A pair of women’s sandals and men’s Converse trainers were found close to where Hayley’s body was discovered by a dog walker. A mobile phone was also found. One theory is that they could have gone for a late night swim that went wrong, although the weather on Sunday was very cold for August. Police say they are extremely concerned about Robbie Crofts’s welfare and are appealing for anyone who has seen him since Sunday to contact them. Detective Inspector Rachel Wilson, from Birkenhead CID, said: “We now know that Robbie and Hayley were together on Sunday night and had spent the day at the Mathew Street music festival in Liverpool before returning to New Brighton for a short while. “They were not seen by friends or family after 8pm, but some of their belongings have been found on the beach, near to where Hayley’s body was found. We are understandably concerned about Robbie, as are his family, and we would appeal for anyone with any information to get in touch.” He is described as white, 21, stocky, 5ft 8in tall with short black hair and blue eyes. Hayley was a sixth-form student at Upton Hall RC Convent Grammar School. Headmistress Patricia Young said: “Hayley was a bright, beautiful girl with a bubbly personality and so much potential to fulfil. “Hayley was also a former member of the school council, with a real zest for life and a desire to look after others. “She should have been returning to school next week to start her final year at Upton and begin applying to university. She was looking forward to all the special events planned for the year ahead. “Her friends and teachers are deeply shocked and our hearts go out to her family who are so very proud of her.” Thousands of people have joined a Facebook tribute page in memory of Hayley. Helen Carter guardian.co.uk

Posted by on August 31, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.