Joshua  Benjamin Smith

Josh's family are desperate to find him. Search parties have been out all week looking everywhere, under every rock and in every bush but have found nothing.  Police have been searching with helicopters and dogs and rescue teams.

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Josh is 27 years old, and lives at the Crossings in Stone, nr to Three Crowns Public House. He has lived there for 10 months with our parents, Sara & Andy Buckley. Prior to this they lived in Diamond Close, Meir Heath, where we lived since we were 10 and 11 respectively.

Josh has a part time job in the farm shop at Aston Marina, and has a keen interest in horticulture and nature.

On the morning of his disappearance - Tuesday 25th October 2016 - Josh was due to attend work at Aston Marina but did not arrive. He did not call in sick. He was seen on CCTV on the crossing at 08:34 - we know he did not turn right towards Stone thanks to CCTV on the garage forecourt this covers both sides of the road. We also think he did not turn left thanks to CCTV in Watsons Scrap metal, and the A51 being closed past the Marina. The assumption is that Josh carried on towards the canal. We do not know whether he headed left on the canal towards the marina or right towards Stone town.

Josh regularly attended the Staffs Uni allotment on Leek road in stoke, this has been thoroughly searched.

We know from Josh's internet search history that he purchased a quick acting euthanasia drug, and we believe he took this with him on Tuesday morning. Josh has had one previous suicide attempt in 2012, and has suffered from depression for many years.

CCTV that we know has been searched:
Plume of Feathers Barlaston
Three Crowns stone
Watsons scrap metal
The star inn, Stone
Granvilles square, stone
Stone train station

Josh is a loving, caring person who is very unwell. As a family we have been trying to get him the medical care he needs for some time; but because he has a family, place of work and a loving girlfriend Josh has been deemed low risk by Mental Health services. In the past two months we have known that he was at imminent risk of attempting to take his life, as he had lost hope that he could be well again and his depression consumed him. We have been constant in trying to obtain NHS mental health care, and have been dismissed as emotional and subjective by various GP's and psychologists.

Josh's girlfriend Irene has been an amazing influence and support for him over the past year, as a family we are so grateful he found happiness in her love. Josh has also had a mentor in Dave Allman from the university allotment; a place of safety and hope for him after his last suicide attempt. This is where Josh developed his love of horticulture over the last few years. He has been studying an RHS distance learning course recently.