Hunt for Brit Tom Billings who went missing while hiking in Canada

The father of a British backpacker believed to be missing in mountains near Vancouver for two weeks told today of his hope that he was “holed up in a warm place”.

Martin Billings, who flew to Canada to help the search for 22-year-old graduate Tom, added: “He’s a young tough guy used to being on his own.”

Tom, a “seasoned traveller and avid hiker” from Oxford, was last seen leaving his accommodation in the city on November 25.

Police are concerned because it is not thought he had planned to travel far as he had left his main rucksack behind.

Martin Billings believes he may have been visiting the nearby North Shore mountains and police are now set to sweep the area.

He said: “We think that Tom could be out there somewhere. Hopefully, he’s holed up in a warm place and someone has seen him who can pass information on to police.

“I think the most likely thing is he has got in trouble on the mountain.

“We just hope he can be found somewhere safe and can get back to his normal life.” Tom was visiting North America after graduating from university and was “couch-surfing” — staying with various hosts he had found on the internet, his father said.

Tom had discussed a number of locations he wanted to visit in the Lower Mainland, including the North Shore mountains. He was due to cross over to the US at the end of November and return to England last weekend.

It was his first visit to Canada, but he had previously travelled to Norway and Siberia. Mr Billings added: “He didn’t like spending money, so he would have got a bus, and then walked from wherever the nearest bus could get him to a trail.”

The father and son last exchanged emails a couple of days before the disappearance. Mr Billings said his son seemed light-hearted and cheerful.