The Home Office will help towards the cost of the search for missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague, Suffolk’s police and crime commissioner has announced.

East Anglian Daily Times: Corrie McKeague in a picture uploaded by his mother. Picture: CONTRIBUTEDCorrie McKeague in a picture uploaded by his mother. Picture: CONTRIBUTED (Image: Archant)

Tim Passmore, who applied to the Government for special grant funding to cover the £2.15million cost of the major investigation, says he has received a positive response from policing minister Nick Hurd.

The grant is expected to be in the region of £800,000 and will be shared between Suffolk and Norfolk as it was a joint major investigation.

Corrie, who was based at RAF Honington, went missing after a night out with friends in Bury St Edmunds in September 2016.

Despite a far-reaching investigation, which included two landfill searches, no trace of the airman has ever been found.

East Anglian Daily Times: Nicola Urquhart, left, with her son Corrie McKeague. Picture: MCKEAGUE FAMILYNicola Urquhart, left, with her son Corrie McKeague. Picture: MCKEAGUE FAMILY (Image: Archant)

Mr Passmore said: “I welcome this rebate from the Home Office which makes a contribution to the £2.15million which the constabulary has spent on this major investigation.

“Throughout this investigation I have ensured that the constabulary has had the resources it needed but sadly, despite the most extensive search ever carried out in this country, they’ve been unable to find Corrie.

“I cannot begin to imagine what Corrie’s family and friends have been through over the past 18 months but I hope they understand that the constabulary has worked tirelessly to find Corrie.”