Ibiza body is that of the missing british tourist

The British vice-consul in Ibiza yesterday confirmed that the body found on October 16 is that of Jeffrey Hodgson who went missing on the island on Sunday, July 8, 2001. The 38-year-old, with a mental age of a child, had only just landed in Ibiza at the start of a holiday with his parents, Beryl and Derek, and they were checking in at the Sirenis Playa Hotel in Cala Llonga when Jeffrey disappeared. 16 months later, a skeleton with remains of clothing was found in a dry river bed in cala Llonga. The strips of clothes left on the body matched the colours of the t-shirt and shorts Jeffrey had been wearing. However, apart from the pieces of clothing, there was little evidence to help police identify the body hence it has taken since October 16, using DNA tests and checking dental records, to confirm the body's identity. Over the past 16 months a large number of people in Ibiza, across the Balearics and back in the United Kingdom have tried to help find Jeffrey. Within 24 hours of him going missing a massive search was launched and a few days later, following pressure from the family the police commandeered the services of a helicopter, some army troops and a sniffer dog and searched Cala Llonga for a short while but found nothing. 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 and holidaymakers. The K9 dog team flew out from Yorkshire to join the hunt, but nothing. Jeffrey's parents never gave up hope and returned to Ibiza, continuing the hunt for 15 months, increasing United Kingdom press coverage and were even accompanied by a BBC television crew on one trip. A reward of £1000 was offered to anyone coming forward with information leading to the whereabouts of the Briton following various reports of sightings. The family never gave up hope and since October 16, when the skeleton was found, have refused to make any statement, clinging to one last ray of hope that it was not that of Jeffrey.