Searches for a missing man have been called off but police investigations continue.

Anthony Knott, 33, from Lincoln Green, Orpington, disappeared while enjoying drinks with friends from work in Lewes, East Sussex, on Friday, December 20.

Today his family issued a statement to say they have called off physical searches for the Orpington Athletic FC player as volunteers have scoured the areas three times and not found anything.

The father-of-four was at The Lamb pub in Fisher Street with 11 of his London Fire Brigade colleagues but for unknown reasons left alone at 7.16pm.

His family have confirmed a sighting of him walking up Market Street – back towards The Lamb – at 7.41pm, 20 minutes after he switched his phone off.

He is 5 ft 8 ins tall, of medium build with medium brown short gelled hair.

On the night he disappeared he was dressed in a black long sleeve top with a dark denim coat and jeans and black smart shoes.

Specialist teams have carried out searches near the pub and the Pells Pool area which was flooded at the time.

His fiancée Lucy Otto has described his disappearance as "completely out of character" and said he would never intentionally do something like this.

The latest update from Mr Knott's family said: "We would like to thank all volunteers that have travelled to Lewes and the locals that have been so supportive of our family at this difficult time.

"Thank you for all the posters printed and distributed. Thank you for all the shares on social media and for any info passed on to us and the police.

"We are not giving up, we just need time to let Anthony’s disappearance sink in and try and focus on a new channel of how to find him.

"Lucy needs her time with her children.

"Thank you everyone for your continued support in helping us.

"We will be in touch with any further leads and our next steps soon."

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "We continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Anthony Knott with a huge amount of work to locate him having taken place.

"Foot searches in the area of the Pells, Lewes, have been exhausted following an extensive and thorough search led by specialist search advisors. Further specialist search tactics may take place in the next few days and the investigation continues.

"We would like to thank the public for their tremendous support, in particular those who have sent in potential lines of enquiry which officers are currently looking into."

Anyone who may have seen Anthony or who knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Sussex Police online or by phoning 101, quoting serial 727 of 21/12.

If he is ill, injured or thought to be in danger, please dial 999 immediately.

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