Fears were growing today for a vulnerable North Yorkshire man who went missing after setting out on a Christmas holiday.

An investigation has been launched into how Brian Suggett, 51, of Easingwold, who has learning difficulties, went missing while travelling from York to Rhyl in North Wales.

Brian, who had made the journey twice previously, was booked to travel by train from York to Rhyl via Manchester Piccadilly.

Transport was arranged using the railways' assisted travel for disabled people service which is called Journeycare.

Because of a late train arrival in Manchester, he was not met at the station there, but police believe he arrived in Rhyl. One police officer in North Wales remembers a man fitting his description walking into a police station in North Wales, then leaving again without saying anything.

Brian's journey started last Monday when he left York on the 10.37am train. He was due to arrive at Manchester Piccadilly at 12.06pm and depart on the 12.16pm arriving in Rhyl at 13.55pm.

Searches have been made by Journeycare, the transport police and police in North Wales.

North Yorkshire Police and social services staff are now anxious to speak to anyone who may have spoken to Brian or met up with him during his journey. Brian is described as 5ft 10in tall with dark hair, going grey at the sides. He is also described a friendly person who smiles a lot and has good verbal skills.

Police said he often talked about York City Football Club, a friend of his called Bill, who died last year, and Linda, his girlfriend.

He was last seen wearing a dark blue fleecy jacket, dark grey cord trousers, red and grey patterned pullover and black shoes. He was carrying a medium-sized black suitcase and a dark blue rucksack.

If anyone has any information about Brian's whereabouts shouls contact North Yorkshire Police at Thirsk on 01609 783131 or social services at Easingwold on 01347 821651.

Journeycare is a free service where people with special needs, who may have difficulty with walking or their sight or have other disabilities, can arrange to be helped on and off trains at different stations when booking their train ticket. The service does not undertake to take responsibility for the care of that person.

A spokesman for Journeycare said Brian would have been helped on the Northern Spirit service from York to Manchester by GNER staff who run York station and would have been due to have been helped off by Railtrack North West staff who run Manchester Piccadilly. If he got on the train to Rhyl, it would have been a First North Western train.

A spokesman for Railtrack North-west said the company was investigating the matter.

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