Missing Sally: police question friends again

Detectives investigating the disappearance of a student who went missing seven days ago will question her friends and flatmates today.

Sally Geeson, 22, vanished shortly after leaving a New Year's Eve party at a pub in Cambridge. Police are focusing on events surrounding the party after a vital lead they were following turned out to be false. One police source said: "We are back to square one with our investigation after a taxi driver withdrew his statement. We will re-question all of Sally's friends including those with her on New Year's Eve."

The investigation suffered a major setback when the vital witness retracted his statement that he had picked up Miss Geeson and dropped her about 100 yards from her home.

Miss Geeson's family, from Southend, said they were angry the taxi driver had changed his mind and her identical twin sister, Julie, said: "The only thing we can think of is maybe he got scared and when he realised how big it's become he started backtracking.

"The police could carry out forensic tests of his car to find out if Sally was ever inside."

Detective Superintendent Garry Swain, who is leading the investigation, said the taxi driver will be questioned on suspicion of wasting police time. Miss Geeson was reported missing on New Year's Day. Text messages were sent from her mobile phone to friends begging for help. One said she was "getting into a car with someone".