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THE JOURNAL MONDAY, MARCH 24,2014
7
NEWS
Michael Brown
Reporter
rn.browrl@ncjmedia.CO.uk
CHOOL staff have spoken of their
sadness after police confirmed
they had discovered a body in the
search for missing deputy headteacher
Mark Bushnell.
The 50-year-old disappeared from his
home in Durham City two weeks ago -
but over the weekend officers confirmed
a discovery had been made on a beach
close to where the Durham School
teacher’s car was found.
Durham Police said it appeared the
body of a middle-aged man “had been
in the water for some time:’ and while
no formal identification had been made,
Mr Bushnell’s family had been
informed.
Following the find, at Blackhall Rocks.
near Peterlee in County Durham, col
leagues and parents of former pupils
paid tribute to the dad-of-three.
Laura Connelly, who worked as a chef
at Durham School for more than two
years, described him as a “genuine”
man.
“He was one of the nicest men I’d
met:’ the 25 year-old said. “He always
had time for everyone and he was a
model teacher.
“The students and staff respected him
and he would always be there for the
pupils.
“He would often come into the kitch
en and he was always very friendly7
David Stoker, a councillor for Durham
South, said Mr Bushnell had taught his
son Nicholas, now 34, and was “a bril
liant teacher and well-liked by everyone
who knew him’:
“He was a well-known figure and
when he taught my own son he showed
a high quality and professionalism and
earned a great level of honour among
all that knew him, including both par
ents and children:’
Mr Bushnell left his home two weeks
ago today with some dirty laundry, after
the family’s washing machine broke.
He had recently been to a rugby tour
nament in London, where the under
lOs school rugby union team were beat
en in the semi-final of the NatWest
School cup.
His eldest son lacob, who is in the
upper sixth form at the school, played in
the game.
He was last seen by a walker near to
the picnic site at Blackhall Rocks, in
Blackhall, later that day, where his car —
a grey Citroen C3 was also found
locked.
Following his disappearance, Martin
George, headteacher at Durham School,
begged his colleague to come home. He
said: “This is where you belong, every
one loves you here. Please get in touch:’
A Durham Police spokesman said Mr
Bushnell’s family, which includes his
wife Joanna and sons Jacob, Nathan,
and Jonathan, had been informed of the
discovery.
“Police searching for missing Durham
teacher Mark Bushnell have been alert
ed to a report of a body on the beach
close to where Mr Bushnell was last
seen:’ she said.
“A formal identification has yet to be
carried out and Mr Bushnell’s family
have been informed.”
Superintendent Bill Dutton thanked
the public for their help with the search
over the past fortnight, saying that the
the force had received an “overwhelm
ing” amount of information from the
public.
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University
coach in
top award
NEWCASTLE University’s rowing
coach has become the first person
to be honoured with a prestigious
new award from the sport’s gov
erning body.
Angelo Savarino was presented
with the British Rowing Special
Award in recognition of his out
standing contribution to the sport
and the development of young
rowing talent in the North East
and UK.
Angelo, who began his career at
the university in 2005, said: “1 was
surprised and honoured when I
heard I was to be presented with
this award,
“A coach is only as good as his
athletes and the support that he
has.
‘This award wouldn’t be possi
ble without the commitment and
dedication from my athletes and
colleagues alike. In fact, I feel lam
being rewarded for other people
believing in me:’
Since his arrival at Newcastle in
2005, Angelo’s efforts have seen
the boat club grow from a small
team of nine senior men and five
senior women, to one of 30 and 20
seniors respectively.
He has also developed a strong
coaching team to support the
rowers in their ambitions,
Body found in hunt for
missing school teacher
9
Mark Bushnell, whose body is thought to have been discovered on the beach at Blackhall Rocks
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FENSAIC-
Cleveland Mountain Rescue and the police scoured the area near Crlmdon Dene
and Blackhall Rocks in the search for Mark Bushnell