A group of volunteers are to scour the local area in Irlam where a 61-year-old dementia sufferer vanished last month.
Good Samaritans from across the community will meet at the Boathouse pub in Irlam at 1pm on Saturday 24 September.
They’re seeking volunteers in a bid to cover areas which may have been overlooked by police.
10 people, including members of Alan’s immediate family, searched Irlam Moss last Sunday for 4-5 hours.
Alan Shone was last seen at around 9.30am on Monday 22 August 2016 at his home on The Crescent, Irlam.
The 61-year-old is thought to have caught the 67 bus from Irlam to Eccles to collect a prescription.
He got off the bus at the Patricroft Bridge stop at the junction of Aldred Street, but never returned home.
There have been two potential sightings of Alan on the day he went missing.
The first was at 11.30am on Princes Avenue at the junction with Liverpool Road in Irlam.
The second was between 12.40pma and 1pm near the airport on the A57 heading towards Irlam on foot.
Alan is white and around 6ft 2in, of a medium build with greying hair, which is thinning on top. He also has a moustache, green/blue eyes.
On the day he went missing it is believed he was wearing a grey and white collared t-shirt, a grey fleece with large pockets at the front, dark blue jeans and a black belt.
The brown shoes he was wearing have light coloured soles and he is likely to have been wearing a blue denim baseball cap.
He was also wearing a gold ring with the word ‘MUM’ on it, a silver wedding ring and a silver chain with a St Christopher medallion.
Police had reported sightings in the week following his disappearance, but have had no major updates since early September.
Over 190 people have since joined a ‘Help Find Alan Shone’ Facebook group.
The team are in desperate need of bigger numbers for the forthcoming search of the areas along the Manchester Ship Canal this Saturday.
Organiser Anna King is appealing to local residents to get involved.
She said: “We are appealing for people to join us in our search for Alan.
“We will be very grateful if some of you would spare a few hours of your time and help us search this Saturday alongside the canal.
“There are many areas in and around the Irlam area which may have been overlooked by police, and we want to make sure that all areas have been explored.
“Alan’s family and friends are extremely appreciative of police and community efforts in the search for Alan.
“We are hoping that in greater numbers we can help find Alan and bring him home”.
In a statement earlier this month police expressed their growing concern.
Detective Sergeant Anthony Bleakley from GMP’s Salford borough, said: “We are growing increasingly concerned about Alan’s whereabouts and have released another image of him in the hope that someone will recognise him.
“I would like to thank the public for their support so far.
“I appeal to any of Alan’s friends, particularly those from the Eccles area, to get in touch as they may have some information that could help us, no matter how small.”
Anyone with information about Alan’s whereabouts should contact police on 101 quoting reference number FWIN 1669 of 23/08/16.
Alternatively, you can report a sighting to Missing People here.
