Large scale police investigation continues in Barnstaple to find missing 14-year-old boy
Taylor Charlton was last seen 11 days ago and was reported missing at around 5.15pm on Saturday 9 May
Last updated 19th May 2026
Police searching for a missing 14-year-old boy in Barnstaple have given an update this evening (19th May).
Taylor Charlton was last seen 11 days ago in the Tesco Extra car park in Station Road at around 10.30pm on Friday 8 May.
Devon and Cornwall Police say a large scale police investigation is continuing and targeted searches are still being carried out in the area of the River Taw using specialist teams, drones and a police helicopter.
A pair of shoes believed to belong to Taylor were previously recovered by police in the River Taw area.
The force added that the community can expected to see further search activity on and by the water over the coming days.
Sector Inspector Andy Wills said: “While a highly visible search operation has been taking place to find Taylor, a substantial number of detectives, officers and staff have also been continuing enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
“All avenues of enquiry remain open.
“A hypothesis that Taylor may have entered the water has resulted in searches being concentrated on the River Taw area.
“Currently, the last confirmed sighting we have of Taylor was captured on CCTV showing him heading in the direction of the river.
“Shoes we believe belong to Taylor were found on two consecutive days on the high tide line of the riverbank, some 480m apart, between Sticklepath and Bickington.
“Our search teams have covered a vast area of the river and estuary. This is a challenging location with a significant movement of water on each tide.
“We are extremely grateful for the public response to our appeal so far, and we still urge anyone with information to contact us.
“If you are out searching, please help us by keeping yourselves safe.
“We are aware of continued speculation on social media and would remind people to avoid sharing any unconfirmed information online as this can make our investigation more challenging.”