Teville Gate: Georgina Gharsallah's mother wants to halt development to search for daughter's 'remains'

The mother of missing Worthing woman Georgina Gharsallah has started a petition to halt the Teville Gate redevelopment so the site can be searched for her daughter's remains.
An artist's impression of what the Teville Gate development could look like, and Georgina Gharsallah, inset.An artist's impression of what the Teville Gate development could look like, and Georgina Gharsallah, inset.
An artist's impression of what the Teville Gate development could look like, and Georgina Gharsallah, inset.

Andrea Gharsallah, from Normandy Road, Worthing, has always maintained that her daughter is alive after going missing on March 7 last year.

But she has now started a Change.org petition asking for Worthing Borough Council's planning committee to pause the redevelopment so that Sussex Police could search the site for her daughter's remains.

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Georgina, 31, was last seen in Clifton Road, Worthing, but according to Andrea a witness came forward saying they saw someone who looked like Georgina with two men on the evening of March 7 that were dragging her across Broadwater Bridge. When questioned by police, the latter witness denied stating this, she said.

An artist's impression of what the Teville Gate development could look like, and Georgina Gharsallah, inset.An artist's impression of what the Teville Gate development could look like, and Georgina Gharsallah, inset.
An artist's impression of what the Teville Gate development could look like, and Georgina Gharsallah, inset.

On the petition, Andrea said: "Many members of the public and my family feel a thorough specialist search of any human remains of the entire Teville Gate site is undoubtedly necessary in order to establish whether my daughter's remains are situated there."

Speaking to the Herald, she added: "I have not given up thinking my daughter is alive, and would like to reiterate that, but we have to keep open to other possibilities of what may of happened."

The work to demolish the site began on March 5, 2018, two days before Georgina vanished, and was completed in June.

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The demolition of Teville Gate began just days before Georgina Gharsallah disappearedThe demolition of Teville Gate began just days before Georgina Gharsallah disappeared
The demolition of Teville Gate began just days before Georgina Gharsallah disappeared

To mark the year anniversary of her disappearance, a candle lit vigil will take place at Worthing railway station from 7pm until 8pm.

On Tuesday, March 12, Georgina's case will feature on BBC One’s Crimewatch Roadshow.

Detective Inspector Simon Dunn said: "Georgina is still being treated as a high risk missing person and enquiries into her disappearance are continuing. Despite there being a huge amount of enquiries in an effort to locate her and track her movements, we are no further nearer to understanding the true circumstances of her disappearance.

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"We have investigated nearly 60 potential sightings, but when followed up, none of them have proved to be Georgina. We have conducted TV and radio press appeals which have reached out across all corners of the UK and have continued to post social media messages appealing for the public to keep looking for her.

Andrea GharsallahAndrea Gharsallah
Andrea Gharsallah

“Plans are in place for further national appeals in the very near future.

“We understand this has been an extremely difficult time for the family and they, alongside us, are desperate to hear from her.”

Aized Sheikh, CEO of landowners Mosaic GI, said: "The planning application documents have only recently been submitted, so there is significant due process still to go through before any construction work starts on this site.

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“If approached, we would of course cooperate fully with any request from Sussex Police.”

Worthing Borough Council has been approached for comment.

(The video, taken last year, shows Andrea on Broadwater bridge attaching missing posters.)