The mother of missing man Corrie McKeague’s unborn child has posted an emotive photograph of her ‘bump’ and spoke of the “joy and pain” her pregnancy brings.

East Anglian Daily Times: Officers search for Corrie McKeague at the Milton Landfill site in Cambridgeshire. Picture: GREGG BROWNOfficers search for Corrie McKeague at the Milton Landfill site in Cambridgeshire. Picture: GREGG BROWN

April Oliver, 21, met RAF Honington serviceman Corrie, 23, around five months before he vanished on a night out in Bury St Edmunds.

Corrie, who is from Scotland, has been missing since September 24 2016, and police today (May 15) embarked on the 11th gruelling week of a landfill search, in a bid to find the RAF Regiment gunner.

Police started searching the landfill in Milton, near Cambridge, after realising the waste in a bin removed from the area Corrie was last seen was heavy enough to contain a man of Corrie’s weight.

April, who lives in Norfolk, posted a professional photo on Facebook showing her ‘bump’, along with a few words to Corrie’s unborn child.

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)

She said: “I struggle with finding the right words because sometimes when you have to be strong and put on a brave face you forget about the precious moments that pass by.

“Yesterday was an emotional but exciting day, and sometimes it only takes one person to help you see what you have.

“I miss and love Corrie with every part of my body and little things set off different emotions.

“I can’t help but be truly unconditionally in love with my baby, and you are not here yet.

“You bring so much pain yet, just as much joy and your daddy would be proud of you my little one and would love you as much as I do.

“Corrie will be a part of both of us forever and no one can take that away.”

Suffolk police, who have come in for criticism over parts of their handling of the investigation, initially predicted the Milton landfill search would take eight to 10 weeks.

Everything we know about Corrie’s disappearance

However, they confirmed yesterday today that they plan to continue searching this week, after extending the search area to the surrounding edges of the initial site.

Despite scouring 3,000 tonnes of landfill waste, no sign of Corrie or his mobile phone, which was traced along the route of the bin lorry, has been found.

Police have said they have been able to date some of the waste to the right time frame. Corrie’s mother, Nicola Urquhart, has spoken of the family’s confusion that there have been signs of her son so far.