The Hero
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- Jun 29, 2008
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Pensioner lost on the M25 for TWO DAYS after going missing as he tried to find his daughter's house
82-year-old gets disorientated on journey which should have taken just one hour
He is found safe and well in South London, still at the wheel of his Vauxhall Estate
Dennis Leighton spent two nights in his car before finally being tracked down this morning.
The 82-year-old had set out on the 55-mile journey from his home in Windsor, Berkshire, on Monday evening.
The journey to Swanley, in Kent, should have taken him just over an hour. But when he did not arrive his worriedfamily reported him missing.
[h=3]M25 FACTS AND FIGURES[/h]The M25 celebrated its 25th birthday in October, despite first being proposed in 1905.
It runs for 117 miles and almost encircles Greater London.
When it was first built it was the world's biggest ring road/city bypass but now it is second to the Berlin Ring which is 121 miles long.
The M25 took more than 11 years to complete and cost around £1billion.
If people were to drive at 70mph it would take an hour and 40 minutes to complete the route.
However, those in need of refreshments would need to carefully plan their stops as there are only three service stations along the entire length of the motorway.
Despite being designed with a capacity of 100,000 vehicles per day, almost double that figure now use it daily.
The motorway inspired Chris Rea's 1989 hit Road to Hell and is also the inspiration behind the name of electronic duo Orbital.
Police in Thames Valley had asked colleagues in neighbouring forces to keep an eye out for Mr Leighton after he was reported as missing at about 7.30pm.
He was eventually found by Metropolitan Police officers in the early hours of this morning - still at the wheel of his Vauxhall Estate.
His car had even been seen yesterday at 11.20am just six miles from his destination - when it was picked up on a police automatic number plate recognition camera in Dartford, Kent.
But he was not spotted in time, triggering a multi-force search.
Mr Leighton was found this morning in South London, more than 30 hours after leaving home, and was said to be safe and well.
It was unclear how he had become so lost, but it is believed he kept driving round Londons orbital motorway.
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: He got a little bit lost but was found safe and well in the early hours of this morning.
Thames Valley Police said he spent a lot of time sitting in his car at motorway services.
He is believed to have been reunited with his daughter in Swanley.
Sergeant Sarah Godsmark said during the missing person appeal: We are concerned for Mr Leightons welfare as he is elderly and is about to spend his second night away from his home.
He has made this journey several times before and knows the route well.
Mr Leightons adventure echoes that of Mohammed Bellazraks three-day ordeal last Christmas.
The grandfather hit the headlines when he fell victim to the airport snow chaos after taking his wife to catch a holiday flight at Gatwick Airport.
The disorientated 72-year-old spent three days and nights driving up and down the M4 motorway trying to find his way home to Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
Mr Bellazrak set off from Trowbridge on December 23 to drive his wife to Heathrow airport where she was due to catch a flight to Morocco.
However, the snow and ice meant the flight was diverted to Gatwick.
He was eventually found on Christmas Day, still at the wheel of his Peugeot 307, when he triggered a police camera and was flagged down by officers in Oxfordshire.
Police cameras had recorded him driving around numerous towns in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.