THE husband of a 74-year-old Seend woman has thanked all those involved in a search operation when she went missing on Salisbury Plain on Saturday night.

The woman, who has not been named, suffers memory loss and is visually impaired. She and her husband had been walking near Stoke Hill, Erlestoke, when they became separated.

The man waited by their car but his wife did not return. He contacted the police and a rescue operation was launched. The Wiltshire Search and Rescue team were deployed and the police helicopter spent four hours searching without success.

The woman was found at around 7am the next day ten miles away near Warminster. They took her to the Imber Road barracks where she was given a warm drink and dry clothing.

Police spokesman David Taylor said: "She was very cold and wet when she was found, but she seems to be making a full recovery. She had been walking all night and must have covered 15km. She was taken to hospital for a check-up but she was none the worse for her ordeal."

The woman's husband said he wanted to maintain the family's privacy but said: "I would like to express my sincere thanks to the numerous people and organisations who searched throughout the night, especially the volunteers."

Steve Upton of Wiltshire Search and Rescue, a voluntary organisation prepared to offer their skills to find missing people, said they would have been prepared to continue their searching for as long as the police felt it was useful.

He said: "We had 12 volunteers out that night, organised into teams of three. Each volunteer carries a kit with emergency shelter, foil blankets and dry clothing.

"We are delighted this lady was found safe and well. It does not always turn out so happily."