Latest news with #LocateInternational
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Man's body identified 10 years after he was hit by car yards from own front door
Bryan Woolis, who was thought to have been named Brian Wallace, died in 2015 after being knocked down by a car just a few metres from his home in Walthamstow, London, but could not be identified A man who died after being knocked down by a car close to his home has finally been identified more than 10 years later. Bryan Woolis, who was thought to have been named Brian Wallace, was near to where he lived in Walthamstow, London, when he was struck and killed by a Mercedes on January 22, 2015. Police, though, were unable to find records of him while the driver of the car was given a suspended sentence. The case remained open while South Yorkshire Police Inspector Nik Dodsworth began to investigate after an appeal from Locate International, a charity seeking to find or identify people, due to possible connections with Sheffield. Locate International stated on its website: "The police soon identified where he lived: a small shared flat above shops on Chingford Road. But he had few possessions, and nothing to identify him. A phone had only a small handful of contacts, and, intriguingly, a few printed photos gave some clues as to his life: they showed the man aboard a canal boat, exploring with curiosity. "A few people said they had encountered him. His name may have been Brian Wallace, they said. He worked cash-in-hand as a builder. He had a northern accent - Sheffield, perhaps - and he may have had a sister who lived in north London. Beyond that, little was known. "Details remained public on the UK Missing Persons Unit - Case 16-001186, unknown male - but brought no leads and the case of 'Brian Wallace' went cold." And Insp Dodsworth told the BBC: 'They had two good quality photos of the victim, but despite this, he had still not been identified. I found that quite sad. It was by digging through case files that he found a partial DNA match, followed by a search via the Police National Computer database, that his identity was revealed as Bryan Alwyn Woolis. A further investigation led the police to Mr Woolis' estranged family after an obituary for his late father Alwyn Woolis was found online. He died in Derbyshire in 2016 and had two other children along with Bryan. It is understood that Bryan had not seen his sister since the 2000s after she had moved away from London to look after their father and so Mr Woolis was not registered missing when he died in 2015. "Despite not being close, she experienced grief at Bryan's death," said Insp Dodsworth. "She had heard a rumour that Bryan had died of natural causes but could not find anything to corroborate this." He also pointed out that people dying without being formally identified is 'not as uncommon as you might expect'. Locate International is now seeking to have a new headstone for Mr Woolis' grave at Manor Park Cemetery in London with the correct spelling of his name. And Insp Dodsworth added: "I got a sense of satisfaction from getting to the bottom of this mystery, putting a name to the victim of a tragic road traffic collision from 10 years ago. I am glad that they [the family] finally have some closure on this tragic incident and can begin to rebuild."
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Man's body identified 10 YEARS after being killed in a car crash just feet from his front door
A man who was mowed down by a car only a feet from his door has finally been identified after a decade of police trying to track down his true identity. Bryan Woolis died only a stone throw from his home in Walthamstow, London, after being mowed down by a Mercedes on January 22, 2015. However, there were no records of the man, who was also previously Brian Wallace, to be found in the wake of his death. And even though the driver was handed a suspended sentence following the incident, the case stayed open due to Mr Woolis never being formally identified. In January 2024, a newspaper launched an appeal from Locate International, a charity dedicated to finding the missing and naming the unidentified, in a bid to track down Brian. And this caught the eye of none other Inspector Nik Dodsworth, who became interested in finding Mr Woollis' identity after learning of the man's possible connections to Sheffield. 'They had two good quality photos of the victim, but despite this, he had still not been identified. I found that quite sad,' the South Yorkshire Police Inspector told the BBC. Trawling through old Met Police case files, the dedicated inspector, discovered a partial DNA match, which eventually, via the Police National Computer database, unearthed the man's true identity - Bryan Alwyn Woolis. Inspector Dodsworth went a step further, and managed to find down Mr Woolis' estranged family after he discovered his father, Alwyn Woolis' obituary online. The memorial indicated Mr Woolis senior passed away in Derbyshire in 2016, and was survived by three children, including Bryan. At the time of his death, Bryan had opted for a more tranquil life, and had not seen his sister since the 2000s after she had moved away from London to care for their father, according to the Inspector. Due to going long periods of time without speaking to family, Bryan was not registered as a missing person when he tragically died in 2015. 'Despite not being close, she [his sister] experienced grief at Bryan's death,' he said: 'She had heard a rumour that Bryan had died of natural causes but could not find anything to corroborate this.' Inspector Dodsworth explained that while many might find the occurrence of dying without an identity shocking, it is more common than people may believe. Now Locate International are trying to obtain a new headstone for Mr Woolis' with the correct iteration of his name. Adamant obtaining a new headstone for Mr Woolis 'had to happen', Inspector Dodworth revealed he experienced a 'sense of satisfaction' after getting to the root of the mystery. 'I am glad that they [the family] finally have some closure on this tragic incident and can begin to rebuild,' he said.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man identified 10 years after car crash death
A man who died after being hit by a car a decade ago has finally been identified, thanks to the efforts of a South Yorkshire officer who worked on the case in his spare time. Bryan Woolis, previously thought to be named Brian Wallace, died just metres from his home in Walthamstow, London, when he was struck by a Mercedes on 22 January 2015. No records of his identify could be found. Insp Nik Dodsworth took up the case after learning of Mr Woolis's possible links to Sheffield. He said: "It was a sad thing to have a man die and be buried without being correctly identified." The Star newspaper first shared an appeal in January 2024 from Locate International, a UK charity dedicated to locating the missing and naming the unidentified. Insp Dodsworth said the article spurred him into action. "They had two good quality photos of the victim, but despite this, he had still not been identified," he said. "I found that quite sad." Going through old case files Insp Dodsworth had sourced from the Met, he found a partial DNA match for the man. He consulted the Police National Computer database, which returned the man's true identity - Bryan Alwyn Woolis. Insp Dodsworth then found the online obituary of the man's father, Alwyn Woolis, who died in Derbyshire in 2016. He had three children, including Bryan. Mr Woolis had lived a quiet life by choice, and had not seen his sister since the early 2000s when she moved from London to look after their father, Insp Dodsworth said. "Despite not being close, she experienced grief at Bryan's death," he added. "She had heard a rumour that Bryan had died of natural causes but could not find anything to corroborate this." As it was not considered unusual not to hear from Mr Woolis for long periods of time, he was not listed as a missing person. Insp Dodsworth said people dying without being formally identified is "not as uncommon as you might expect". The driver was given a suspended sentence after the incident, but the case remained open due to the unidentified victim. Locate International is working to secure a new headstone for Mr Woolis's grave at Manor Park Cemetery in London with the correct spelling of his name, which Insp Dodsworth said "has to happen". He added: "I got a sense of satisfaction from getting to the bottom of this mystery, putting a name to the victim of a tragic road traffic collision from 10 years ago. "I am glad that they [the family] finally have some closure on this tragic incident and can begin to rebuild." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Bid to solve eight-year riddle of mystery man Locate International
BBC News
18-05-2025
- BBC News
Walthamstow crash victim Bryan Woolis identified 10 years after death
A man who died after being hit by a car a decade ago has finally been identified, thanks to the efforts of a South Yorkshire officer who worked on the case in his spare Woolis, previously thought to be named Brian Wallace, died just metres from his home in Walthamstow, London, when he was struck by a Mercedes on 22 January 2015. No records of his identify could be Nik Dodsworth took up the case after learning of Mr Woolis's possible links to said: "It was a sad thing to have a man die and be buried without being correctly identified." The Star newspaper first shared an appeal in January 2024 from Locate International, a UK charity dedicated to locating the missing and naming the Dodsworth said the article spurred him into action."They had two good quality photos of the victim, but despite this, he had still not been identified," he said. "I found that quite sad."Going through old case files Insp Dodsworth had sourced from the Met, he found a partial DNA match for the consulted the Police National Computer database, which returned the man's true identity - Bryan Alwyn Dodsworth then found the online obituary of the man's father, Alwyn Woolis, who died in Derbyshire in 2016. He had three children, including Woolis had lived a quiet life by choice, and had not seen his sister since the early 2000s when she moved from London to look after their father, Insp Dodsworth said."Despite not being close, she experienced grief at Bryan's death," he added."She had heard a rumour that Bryan had died of natural causes but could not find anything to corroborate this." 'Not uncommon' As it was not considered unusual not to hear from Mr Woolis for long periods of time, he was not listed as a missing Dodsworth said people dying without being formally identified is "not as uncommon as you might expect".The driver was given a suspended sentence after the incident, but the case remained open due to the unidentified International is working to secure a new headstone for Mr Woolis's grave at Manor Park Cemetery in London with the correct spelling of his name, which Insp Dodsworth said "has to happen".He added: "I got a sense of satisfaction from getting to the bottom of this mystery, putting a name to the victim of a tragic road traffic collision from 10 years ago."I am glad that they [the family] finally have some closure on this tragic incident and can begin to rebuild." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
The Independent
18-02-2025
- The Independent
New image of woman killed in 1975 released by investigators
Investigators trying to identify a woman who was killed while walking barefoot on the A1 50 years ago have released a picture of what she may have looked like. The mystery of so-called 'Baldock Woman' could be a step closer to being solved after researchers also revealed what they believe could have been her name. She was last seen in February 1975 walking without shoes along the A1 outside the market town of Baldock in Hertfordshire when she was hit by at least one car. Even after 50 years, we are confident that someone out there can help provide the one important clue that can help us reunite Baldock Woman with her identity Mark Greenhalgh, Locate International She was found without any shoes but, because her feet were not dirty, it is not thought she had been barefoot for long. Volunteer investigators with Locate International, a charity which investigates cold cases, have worked with a couple who think they knew her in the 1970s and produced new images by a forensic artist who recreates images of the unknown dead. The couple first came forward after an appeal in June 2010 and identified her as a French woman believed to be between 23 and 25 going by the name of either Anna or Odile. Investigators with the charity have now found a mention of the name Odile Ledoux with a similar description in the Cambridge Evening News on November 25, 1972. A charity spokesman said: 'This is potentially a major development in the investigation and we would appeal to anyone who recognises the name to come forward. But until all lines of inquiry are ruled out, we will continue to investigate all leads.' 'Baldock Woman' stayed with the couple in the early 70s and they said she was a regular at the Stotfold Social Club near Baldock and worked at an industrial estate in nearby Henlow, Bedfordshire before travelling to study at a language school in Cambridge. The article stated Odile Ledoux was an English student at Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, now Anglia Ruskin University, and lived on Sturton Street in Cambridge. The team working on the case believe she was from or had lived in the north of Paris and had friends in Newquay, Cornwall. Mark Greenhalgh, the charity's chief executive officer, said: 'Even after 50 years, we are confident that someone out there can help provide the one important clue that can help us reunite Baldock Woman with her identity. 'The window to do so is closing, however. If she was alive today, she would be in her late 60s to mid 70s, so we are eager for people to come forward before it is too late. 'For years, our volunteers have worked diligently to identify Baldock Woman. Just one clue, however small, can help progress our investigation, or send it in a new direction, so please come forward.' The charity is now actively investigating the name Odile Ledoux along with the name Anne, Anna or a variation thereof and ask for anyone with information to get in touch by emailing appeals@ calling 0300 102 1011 or visiting
