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Bedford Times and Citizen
Published on the 02 May 2003
Expedition abandoned after grim discovery. Teenagers testing their outdoor skills found the body of missing Oakley woman Angela Vorley in a forest.
A party of pupils from Bedford’s Mark Rutherford Upper School discovered her corpse while training for their Duke of Edinburgh Awards in woods at Pavenham.
The eight-strong group of 14 and 15-year-olds, led by a male member of staff, immediately abandoned their trial expedition and returned to the school. Around 22 other students out in the area also cut short their trips after the grim find.
Headteacher John Summers said: “The member of staff made contact with the team leaders and decided the right approach was to bring them back to the school, where it was explained to their parents what had happened.
“On Monday the eight met the school counsellor and we have also contacted County Hall’s critical incidents counselling service.
“But they are a mature and level-headed bunch of lads and we don’t expect there to be any huge traumas, although you never know so we wanted to take the right course of action.”
Mrs Vorley, of Bevery Close, Oakley, was last seen alive by her 16-year-old son at the village bus stop at 7.45am last Thursday. She had a history of depression and had taken prescribed drugs with her.
Police, who are not treating her death as suspicious, have renewed appeals for anyone who may have seen her to get in contact. It is thought she was spotted at around 3pm last Friday crossing St Peter’s Street into St Cuthbert’s Street, Bedford.
Officers are keen to hear from anyone else who saw her in the Bedford area, or anyone who gave her a lift from Oakley to Bedford or Bedford towards Pavenham. They also want to hear from witnesses who saw her on foot, offered her overnight accommodation or had any contact with her.
Anyone with information should contact the Bedfordshire Coroner’s office on 01234 273011 .
An inquest into Mrs Vorley’s death was opened and adjourned on Monday. The results of tests to fully establish the cause of death are still awaited.