Family will not go home

A FAMILY of six who sparked a nationwide hunt when they disappeared do not intend to return to their home, police said yesterday.

David and Susan Fundell and their four children left their Cardiff, Wales, home on June 29, apparently leaving behind all their clothes and other belongings.

Police on Monday launched an appeal for information about the family, saying they were “greatly concerned” for their welfare as it was out of character for them to go away without telling anyone.

They were thought to have taken their car, and while they were known to go on camping trips they had left a tent at home.

At around midday yesterday Mr Fundell, 57, walked into a police station in south west England after seeing the appeal in a newspaper.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Kemp, of South Wales Police, said Mr Fundell, his 41-year-old wife and children Joanna, 17, Jonathan, nine, and twins Harry and Francesca, six, had been staying at a campsite.

Mr Fundell, who was unemployed but had run a business about 20 years ago, told the officer he did not intend to return to the Cardiff area.

Police said they could not speculate on why the family had chosen to disappear without informing anyone they were leaving.

But it is believed they may have had financial difficulties, possibly linked to the failure of Mr Fundell’s office business.

Mr Kemp said earlier today that “personal issues” had been brought to the attention of the police which had led them to be concerned for the family’s safety.

“It is very unusual for a family of six to disappear,” he said.