Officers looking for Gosmore farmer William Taylor, who has now been missing for more than three months, have issued yet another appeal for help finding him.

William, known as Bill, was last seen at his home south of Hitchin on Sunday, June 3, at about 9pm – shortly before his 70th birthday.

He had, days before going missing, reported an arson attack on his Land Rover.

Police have since carried out extensive searches around the farmland surrounding his home at Harkness Hall.

William is described as a grey-haired white man, about 5ft 11in tall and of a medium build. He was last seen wearing a baby-blue shirt, jeans and black wellington boots. Police think he may have been wearing or in possession of a navy-blue boiler suit when he went missing.

North Herts chief inspector Julie Wheatley said today: “We, along with many others, are extremely concerned about what’s happened to him and I am urging anyone who has any information about where William might be to get in touch with us.

“William has worked as a farmer for the majority of his life. William is passionate about farming and his contributions to the management of the business have been dearly missed throughout the summer harvest. William has a herd of cattle which he is very fond of, and he would never leave them without a plan in place.

“Special arrangements have had to be made to ensure that they are looked after, along with his other farm animals – which serves to illustrate just how out of character William’s disappearance really is.”

More than 100 specialist volunteers have come from as far away as Dorset to help look for William.

Ch Insp Wheatley said last month that police were “conducting enquiries into William’s lifestyle” as part of their investigation.

She added that “a number of reported sightings” had not yielded positive results.

Police have been unable to say whether the Land Rover arson is connected to William’s. Officers have said it did not appear anything was missing from the house.

Ch Insp Wheatley told the Comet on June 25 that police had looked at William’s mobile phone records and bank accounts as part of their investigation, but could not give further details.

If you think you have seen William since he went missing, or you have information that might help us find him, call 101. For immediate sightings, call 999 straight away.

You can also report information, including sightings, at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/824.