Concerns were growing last night for the safety of an extremely vulnerable disabled man after the discovery of his mother’s body. The pair had disappeared three days earlier.

Detectives are concerned for the wellbeing of James Hughes, 22, who has the mental age of a toddler and needs round-the-clock care for a number of other health problems, including epilepsy.

The body of Heather Wardle, 39, a mother of four, was discovered in woodlands five minutes’ walk from their home in Redditch, Worcestershire, about 6pm on Monday.

Teenagers found Ms Wardle’s body in an area of dense undergrowth off Winyates Way, near the family home in Loxley Close in the Church Hill area of Redditch. The death is being treated as unexplained and the coroner has been informed.

Mr Hughes, who looks younger than his age, is capable of walking short distances but generally uses a wheelchair.

A spokeswoman for West Mercia Constabulary said that Ms Wardle had left home on Friday evening, saying that she was walking to a friend’s house near by. She was reported missing by her partner, Brian Kirby. It is not clear when James was last seen.

His natural father, Paul Hughes, 41, said last night that he was sick with worry about James. Mr Hughes, the director of a construction and engineering business in Redditch, said: “We are all still desperately trying to find James at the moment. I am on tenterhooks. He is a very vulnerable lad and we would urge anyone who has seen him, or has any information at all, to get in touch with the police. We are all in bits and praying he is safe.”

Mr Hughes added: “I was absolutely gutted when I heard the news about Heather. She must have been in a very dark place to do something like that.

“I have spoken to her recently but I had no inkling that she was going to do something like this.”

Ms Wardle leaves four children by three fathers.

Police were last night awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination.

At a press conference, police said that the focus of the inquiry was on finding Mr Hughes, who was unable to fend for himself.

Superintendent Jane Horwood said: “James has not been found and, obviously, in the light of the discovery of what we believe to be his mother’s body, we are very concerned for his well-being.

“He needs his most basic needs met and cannot fend for himself. Heather was James’s main carer and her family tell us she was a fantastic mother.

“However, looking after another person round the clock — however much that person is loved — inevitably takes its toll and we can only imagine what tremendous strain Heather was under.

“This is a very unusual case. At the moment we have no idea where he is and, while we are keeping an open mind, obviously we are very concerned.”

Another police spokeswoman added: “The more time goes by without James being found, concern does increase.”

Police said that between 40 and 50 officers were working on the case, about 30 of whom were searching the Church Hill area of Redditch.

Police dogs and a helicopter have also been deployed in the search for James. He is described as white, about 5ft 4in, thin and with short hair.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Oh no, Mr Darling: you have failed
• BBC survives dogfight over Kennel Club expose
• Where the Rosetta belongs can’t be set in stone