Deaf pensioner goes missing from home

From: Sheffield Today - UK - Apr 22, 2004

FEARS are growing for the safety of a profoundly deaf pensioner, who has been missing from his residential home for three days.

George Purcell, aged 77, left SheffCare's Shirland home in Chapelwood Road, Darnall, on Monday morning with a plastic bag.
Staff at the home, where Mr Purcell had lived for about two months, thought he had popped out to get a newspaper but raised the alarm with police when he failed to return after a number of hours.
He is known to have a history of sleeping rough, and has often been found in Grenoside woods.
But staff at the home say he uses a colostomy bag, which needs regular changing, and takes medication and they are beginning to fear for his health.
A SheffCare spokesman said: "Mr Purcell usually went out to buy a paper in the morning staff thought that's where he was going.
"But when he had not returned by mid-afternoon, staff contacted the police and notified them that Mr Purcell was missing."
Before living at Shirland's, Mr Purcell lived at the City Council's Ellesmere home in Burngreave and had slept rough.
When he disappeared, Mr Purcell was wearing a green fleece with a front zipper, a red striped shirt, dark blue jogging bottoms and green shoes.
He is 5ft 7in tall, has a local accent and was last seen at 9.15am on Monday.
Anyone with information should contact police: 0114 296 4499.

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