The story

On 15th October 2002, 15 months after he disappeared from the hotel, Jeffrey`s body was found by tourists who were climbing a remote headland cliff near Cala Llonga.
It would appear that he had been there since he vanished.
How he got there unaided remains a mystery.

In July 2004 the Coroner in Stockport declared an open verdict reinforcing the mysterious circumstances of his disappearance and tragic end.

The story below outlines the events from his arrival in Cala Llonga and the subsequent search by his parents, family & friends.

July 2001
On Sunday 8 July 2001, after just arriving in Ibiza, Jeffrey Hodgson a mentally handicapped man with a mental age of an eight year old child, vanished from the reception area of the Sirenis Playa Hotel in the Cala Llonga resort while his parents Beryl and Derek were checking into their hotel.
It was 24 hours later before the authorities would react, meanwhile Beryl & Derek along with holidaymakers and staff form the hotel & Panorama Travel frantically searched the resort.
A few days later following pressure from the family the police commandeered the services of a helicopter, some army cadet troops and a sniffer dog and searched Cala Llonga for a short while but found nothing. For a map of Ibiza click here.
Jeff's parents were joined in Cala Llonga by his sister Janet, her husband Andy and brothers David and Steven. They conducted their own searching efforts and handed out hundreds of leaflets around the island, airport, its markets and shops with the help of volunteers from the travel company, holidaymakers and the Manchester Evening News.
Hopes were raised even further when K9, the Yorkshire-based search and rescue organisation, arrived on the island with two of their specially trained dogs on Thursday 19 July 2001. They undertook a detailed search of the resort and its immediate area. K9 carried on the search into the weekend using trail bikes to search the rough ground at the side of the roads leading out of the resort, and divers checked out water wells in the area. The team also searched the immediate coastline by boat but no traces of Jeffrey were found.

The beach at Cala Llonga

On Sunday 22 July 2001 the heartbreaking decision by his family to return home was taken.
Upon arrival back home in Stockport, a day of intensive interviews by the National BBC TV and radio, local radio and local press occurred.
The British Consulate and Foreign Office assisted where they could but have no jurisdiction in Spain.
As there was no evidence that a crime had been committed, the family and friends of Jeffrey had to take the initiative and ensure that the search went on.

Jeffrey when he went missing had no money, identification or his medication. Jeffrey was a child in a man's body and was so vulnerable. He needed daily care and attention from family, together with frequent medication to control an epilepsy condition.

Jeff with his parents

It was feared that unless he was being cared for or assisted by the multitude of resident communities on the island who were oblivious to the local media reports, his inherent vulnerability raised the issue of abduction.

Enjoying his holiday in Benidorm in 2000

August 2001
Jeffrey's parents returned to Ibiza accompanied by the BBC "Close Up North" team.
A documentary is filmed and broadcast on 4 October 2001.
An appeal was also broadcast on Spanish television.
September 2001
Jeffrey's family returned to Ibiza to resume the search and were accompanied by a camera crew from the TV programme Holiday Airline.
T-shirts and flyers were widely distributed.
October 2001
Following the broadcast of the "Close Up North" documentary, John Fitzpatrick contacted Jeffrey's parents and the group Family and Friends of Jeffrey (FFOJ) was formally formed. A team of volunteers visited Ibiza to continue the search and distribute further flyers to maintain publicity.
November 2001
On 5th November, Jeffrey's parents appeared on BBC's Crimewatch Daily programme.
Despite travel and accommodation difficulties during the winter months, further visits to Ibiza were made by Jeffrey's parents to continue the search.
December 2001
A Majorca based private investigation agency, Jose Mabeca, volunteered to assist in the search for Jeffrey.
A major fund raiser was held by FFOJ at the Britannia Hotel in Stockport, raising over £2,000.
January 2002
The fund raising efforts of FFOJ continued in order to ensure that sufficient funds are available for the search for Jeffrey to carry on.
A £1,000 reward was offered by Jeffrey's Aunt & Uncle Audrey & Bob for information that leads to Jeffrey's safe return to Stockport alive & well.
February 2002
A photo fit picture of what Jeffrey may look like with a beard was added to the leaflets being distributed on Ibiza. Click description to view the image.
Fresh coverage of the search by the Stockport Times coincided with further visits to Ibiza to continue the search. Click here to view article.
March 2002
Further visits to Ibiza by FFOJ to distribute new colour leaflets prior to the main holiday season starting again were carried out. Click here to view leaflet. Holiday makers planning to visit Ibiza were urged to download a copy of the leaflet, take it with them, and keep their eyes peeled for Jeffrey. Positive contacts with ex-pats and the ex-pat media were made.
April 2002
FFOJ recruit a Spanish speaking Stockport businessman, Salvador Gomez who kindly offered his assistance.
A visit to Ibiza by Jeffrey's parents and Salvador, included a very positive meeting with the local police who advised that they were very hopeful about finding Jeffrey.
The police considered that Jeffrey may have been in the interior of the island which is quite remote and has little contact with the coastal areas where tourism is the main industry.
DNA samples and dental records ruled out Jeffrey being a body that was found on the island.
John and Carole from Liverpool sent pictures of Jeffrey on holiday in Costa Blanca 2 years ago. Click here to view the picture.
May 2002
A charity football match was held at Edgeley Park to raise funds.
A Stockport County ex-players XI take on Century Radio's "Fighting Foxes".
A crowd of 700 saw the County XI trounce the Foxes 12-1 and a good time was had by all.
The match raised over £2000.
June 2002
All 32 Spanish churches on Ibiza agreed to display posters.
The church is one of the main social supports for residents of the internal more remote parts of the island and the hope was that if Jeffrey is being looked after by one of these families, that someone would come forward.
£10,000 CHAT reward
CHAT Magazine, who were now covering the story, offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to Jeffrey's return. Click here for further details.
July 2002
Jeffrey's parents returned to Ibiza, marking the anniversary of his disappearance.
The BBC Radio 4 programme "You and Yours" covered the story. People returning to Ibiza for the summer to work became aware that Jeffrey is still missing.

Jeffs parents met up with Simon Owens, a free-lancer who was in Ibiza for the summer. His on the ground help and persistence was appreciated very much by the family and their gratitude will always be with him.
The Costa Blanca News covered the story in some detail. Click here for more.
August 2002
FFOJ formed an action group to better coordinate efforts and the resources available for the search for Jeffrey.
A brief summary of the facts following a review of the previous twelve months showed that:-
-There was no evidence that Jeffrey had come to any harm and that on that basis FFOJ would continue the search.
-Scores of possible sightings had been investigated, and over a dozen visits to Ibiza had now been conducted in the search for Jeffrey.
-Although there was no evidence that any crime had been committed, the support of the authorities continued although patchily and mainly due to the pressure being exerted by the group.
-FFOJ recognised that without the continued support of the Foreign Office, the British Consulate, and the Spanish Police, their job would much much harder.
-Following the publicity through posters in the churches on Ibiza, which covered the interior of the island, the publicity on the island was virtually at saturation point.
-FFOJ recognised the support and assistance that it had received from so many different sources. Click here for a list of FFOJ supporters and contributors.
A major hope was that as people returned to Ibiza for the summer to work, or holiday, or simply through habit, that new information would emerge that would lead to Jeffrey being found.

Jeffrey`s Body found

16th October 2002
Devastating news came in from Ibiza via the Foreign Office in the early hours of the morning that the body of a man, with clothes matching those that Jeffrey was wearing at the time of his disappearance, had been found on a remote headland hillside near Cala Llonga. Initial identifications by dental records seemed to confirm that it was Jeffrey and that he had been there since his disappearance. DNA testing it was said would take some days to complete.
Everyone was deeply upset at the discovery and Jeffs family were comforted by relatives and friends.

After so much searching far and wide- even on the mainland, with so many prospective sightings giving hope that he was alive and well the news came as a shock to everyone.

Spanish Authorities confirm DNA match- Jeffrey can come home

30th November 2002
It was confirmed by the Foreign Office that the Spanish authorities have finally completed the DNA testing and have confirmed that it is indeed Jeffrey.
It has taken them over 6 weeks and several attempts to make this DNA confirmation which caused the family of Jeffrey great distress over this period.
20th December 2002
Jeffrey finally returned to Stockport following an emotional trip by the family to retrieve him from Ibiza. The family flew out to Ibiza on Sunday 15th December.
A frank and open meeting was held with the Consulate on Monday 16th Dec who arranged for a meeting with the Spanish Police the following day. At the specific request of the family, the meeting with the Spanish Police on the Tuesday was preceded by a visit to the precise spot where Jeffrey had been found some two months earlier.
On the Tuesday, the Spanish Police met the family and some friends at the area where Jeffrey had gone missing back in July 2001. It is the belief of the Spanish Police that, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, Jeffrey made his own way to the spot where he had eventually been found some 15 months later. This was also the view of the Greater Manchester Police.
The family wished to retrace Jeffrey's steps and assess in their own minds how likely it was that this was the case.

Following this visit , which is described more in the Latest News section it became apparent to all those who knew him that there was no way that Jeffrey could have reached this desolate spot unaided, and there was no way he would have wanted to go there anyway.

The headland where Jeffrey was found. The white circle showing the area.

A larger picture can be seen in the latest news section

Legacy of love left by Jeffrey

On 15th January 2003 Jeffrey`s funeral was held at St. Matthews Church Edgeley with a crowded congregation
and hundreds outside. Representatives from the Press and TV were in abundance.The Manchester Evening News & Metro reported:-

"Father Bernard Elsdon spoke to hundreds of mourners packed into a church in Stockport as Jeffrey Hodgson was finally laid to rest after 18 months of torment for his family. The funeral was at Jeffrey's local church, St. Matthew's in Edgeley, and Father Elsdon described how his disappearance prompted a huge groundswell of support from thousands of people who rallied round his parents Beryl and Derek. LOVED BY EVERYONE: Jeffrey Hodgson He said: "None of us can possibly know just how they felt, or have felt ever since - not unless we have suffered such an experience ourselves. But very soon, dozens, then hundreds, then thousands of people showed their deep concern and desire to help, and thousands of posters were distributed to try to trace Jeffrey." Jeffrey, 38, who had a mental age of eight, disappeared as his parents were checking into their hotel in Ibiza on July 8, 2001. The M.E.N. flew to Ibiza to help in the search for Jeffrey and an action group was formed to help and raise funds. His remains were eventually discovered by climbers at the bottom of a cliff on the outskirts of the resort in October last year. Mr. and Mrs Hodgson said: "Jeffrey was a happy child whom turned into a friendly and likeable man who everyone loved. "Jeffrey had so many friends in and around Stockport who have all been wonderful since he went missing." "

FINAL JOURNEY: Flowers in the colours of Stockport County are laid on Jeffrey's coffin

The Stockport Times (Express) reported:-
"HUNDREDS of mourners gathered at St. Matthew’s Church in Edgeley to pay their final respects to tragic Jeffrey Hodgson. Jeffrey went missing in July 2001, minutes after arriving with his parents for a holiday on the Spanish party island of Ibiza. Following a large scale search, which covered parts of mainland Europe, his body was sadly discovered down a ravine, only minutes away from his hotel in the resort of Cala Llonga. Jeffrey was 38 when he went missing and was described by his family as ‘a child in a mans body’. He was known to hundreds of people in and around Edgeley for his friendly smile and lively personality. As the hearse pulled up outside the church, on Grenville Street, mourners watched in silence as Jeffrey’s coffin was carried into the building by his father, Derek, and other close family members. The half-hour church service was led by Father Bernard Elsdon, who paid tribute to Jeffrey and said: “Though the memory of these long days since July 8 2001 can never be erased, today is the day for a new start to be made and to go forward into our lives as they stretch ahead with happy memories of Jeffrey and all that he meant to so many people.” Wreathes of flowers were laid outside the church, many with poignant messages of tribute to a lost son, brother and friend. A card from Jeffrey’s parents, Beryl and Derek read: “We tried so hard to find you Jeffrey. Your brothers, sisters too. The family and friends have worked so hard hoping for the same thing too. Nanas and grandads please take care of Jeffrey until we both join you. You do realise that heaven will never be quite the same once Jeffrey is there.” In a statement released before the funeral, Beryl and Derek said: “Today is a very difficult day for everyone who knew Jeffrey and we would like people to take the opportunity to remember Jeffrey as he was. “He was such a happy child who turned into a friendly and likable man who everyone loved. Jeffrey would talk to everyone and had so many friends in and around Stockport, who have all been wonderful since he went missing. “Thanks to the support of family, friends and everyone who knew Jeffrey. He was able to live a full and relatively normal life. He had as much freedom as we could have ever hoped for. “Since Jeffrey’s body was discovered we have been inundated by cards from well wishers and we would like to thank them for all their support. "The whole family would like to give special thanks to our Family and Friends Action Group who met every month planning the next step forward and already had events organised for further fund-raising so we could continue in our search for Jeffrey. “We would also like to thank the people of Stockport who have been very supportive helping to raise money for the search abroad. “Last but not least we would like to thank the local media who have all been most supportive.” "

As stated above, Jeffrey`s funeral service in St. Matthews church was attended by hundreds of people with standing room only at the rear.
Father Elsdon gave a wonderful eulogy of Jeffrey describing how, even with his learning difficulties he became an integral and well known part of his community both in his locality of Edgeley and the greater area of Stockport where he was known to thousands of people. It is a great credit to his parents that he was allowed to be as free as a bird and travelled widely around the public transport system calling regularly in on his friends at the police and fire stations and the bus station canteen.
Jeffrey perhaps had more freedom in his life than any of us, unconstrained by the day to day pressures most of us face. It is also a mark of his local community who accepted his presence and watched over him daily.
Beryl & Derek would like to thank everyone for their kindness, help and generosity over the last 18 months and to those who helped Jeffrey to have a wonderful life.

Island revisited

In September 2003 Beryl & Derek returned to Ibiza with other members of the FFOJ. His footsteps were once again retraced, but this time with the express purpose of compiling photographs and video evidence for the forthcoming Inquest back home.

It was also at this time that the cream coloured camper van sought for in the early days belonging to a travelling British entertainer was also spotted parked in a car park at the foot of the pathway up the mountain headland where Jeffrey was found.

It became apparent to all that in the 4 hours it took to reach the point on the headland where Jeffrey was found there was no way on this earth that Jeffrey could have or would have wanted to reach this point alone.

The party, comprising an experienced walker and also a retired member of the parachute regiment, were severely scratched and cut by the multitude of thorn bushes on the hillside, and even with water had to take frequent rests in the heat of the September day.

Jeffrey supposedly went there without water and his clothes were untouched and in perfect condition when he was found.

On the following day the hotel owner very kindly took the group around the headland on his boat. The place where Jeffrey was found was much easier to get to by this means of transport.

On their return to the UK, the BBC once again ran a documentary using this video footage, concluding that the circumstances surrounding his arrival on this headland are very strange indeed.

Perhaps the truth will never be known but all were convinced that this footage would influence any Inquest despite police speculation to the contrary.

The route up the mountainside is much more fully described in the mystery section together with more detailed photographs.

Coroner reinforces mystery of his death

On 20th July 2004 Jeffrey`s inquest was heard by the coroner in Stockport.

Evidence was heard from the Spanish Police and Greater Manchester Police who stuck to their theory of possible misadventure. However in the light of the overwhelming evidence from the family in the form of photographs and video evidence taken in September when the headland was revisited, together with the resulting BBC documentary, the coroner declared an open verdict.

So how did Jeffrey come to be all alone in a remote headland visited only by mountaineers ? Perhaps we shall never know. That secret Jeffrey has taken with him, unless those who took him there ever come forward.

For in depth details of the story month by month refer to news archives by clicking here.

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