CLOSE friends of missing Dormansland chef David Pickett are remaining positive despite another search bringing no clues about his disappearance.
This evening, about 45 people joined the unofficial search for the 34-year-old, who has not been heard from since Sunday.
The group, which consisted of a group of David's closest friends and strangers who simply wanted to help them, combed woodland close to Greathed Manor, where he works and lives.
They met at The Plough in Dormansland at 5pm before setting off at about 5.30pm. Thick brambles and foliage made the search difficult at times but the dozens of volunteers used large sticks to carve paths through the woods.
David, who is a chef in the kitchens at the care home in Ford Manor Road, lives on site with his dog.
After a three and a half hour search, the group of volunteers called it a night.
At one point a torch was found abandoned in a dense area but an inspection of it showed it had probably been there for some time and was unlikely to be linked to David's disappearance.
One of David's closest friends, Sam Bradley, said they had not given up hope ahead of an official police search tomorrow.
He said: "We are certainly not giving up. We will let the police conduct their search tomorrow and hopefully we will not need to arrange another one with volunteers. But if we do need to, we will.
"Once again I just want to thank everyone for giving up their time to help. If we don't search for him, what else can we do."
Sam, along with several other people, has not been to work since David was reported as missing on Monday. He has been searching for his friend from dawn until dusk every day.
Sam said it is completely out of character for David, whom he has been best friends with for 27 years, to go missing.
He said: "It could not be farther from his character. He is such a lovely, thoughtful guy and would never disappear without telling anyone because he wouldn't want to worry them, especially his parents."
David failed to turn up for work at Greathed Manor on Monday and on the same day his dog was found roaming close to the Kent and Sussex border nearby.
Since his disappearance police have conducted a search with specially trained search dogs, a helicopter and even a specialist dive team to check bodies of water in the area.
A further police search will be taking place tomorrow with support from a helicopter equipped with thermal imaging.
Tandridge Neighbourhood Commander, Angie Austin, was keen to stress that tonight's search was not an official police search. However she provided five officers, including herself to assist.
She said: "The thing I've wanted to make very clear is that this is an unofficial search, but I wanted to show that we are here to support them."
David's parents, who live in different parts of the country are being kept in the loop and his father is on his way down from Lincolnshire.
David is described as short in height, thin build with light brown, curly hair and he wears glasses.
