A NATIONWIDE man-hunt has been launched to find a relief pub manager who disappeared from Radcliffe on Saturday (April 29).

Several thousands of pounds worth of takings have also vanished from the Sparking Clog pub.

Local police were alerted on Saturday evening after staff at the Radcliffe Moor Road pub became concerned for the welfare of London-born Dominic Wall.

He told workers that he was going to do his laundry but he never returned.

The existing licensees, Mr Martin Wray and his partner Miss Joanne Lovejoy, raced back from the Lake District, where they were enjoying a long weekend break to recover from an armed robbery only three weeks ago. They helped officers with their investigations into the man's disappearance. However, on Monday (May 1) a locksmith opened the safe to discover a large quantity of cash was also missing.

Detectives are now keen to contact Mr Wall to eliminate him from their inquiries into the lost cash.

Miss Lovejoy said Mr Wall came to the pub over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and had exceptional references from his work with Banks Brewery.

She said: "Martin and I were confident of his ability to look after the pub and we were happy to leave him in charge while we went away to the Lake District for a break.

"We were contacted on Saturday evening by a member of staff who told us about Mr Wall's disappearance and we returned home first thing on Sunday.

"The keys to the office area were missing and it was only on Monday that we discovered money was also missing." The police have alerted all airports and ferry ports throughout the country in their bid to trace Mr Wall.

Detective Sergeant Dave Maguire said that addresses supplied by Mr Wall in the south of England had proven to be bogus.

And Detective Constable Mike Jackson, who is leading the hunt, said: "We are keen to speak to Mr Wall and are actively seeking him to eliminate him from our inquiries into the missing money. We are very concerned for his welfare."

Miss Lovejoy, who has been running the Sparking Clog with Mr Wray for the last seven years, added: "An armed robbery took place at the pub three weeks ago and we wanted to get away for a few days to help get over it. We then come back to this."