Met Police take over hunt to find mother from wealthy aristocratic family, partner and newborn baby

Met Police have joined the hunt for a missing aristocrat and her baby daughter after they were spotted in East London a week after their last sighting.

Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon disappeared after the car they were travelling in broke down on the M61 near Bolton, Greater Manchester last Thursday before leaving on foot with their baby boy.

The 35 year-old is from an aristocratic landowning family in Dorset, with ‘ties to the Royal Family‘. 

It is understood she has not been in contact with her family for some time.

Officers previously searched every hotel and B&B in Colchester after the mother and her newborn baby went missing.

Police have released a photo of the couple after they were spotted in East London this week

Police have reissued their appeal to help find missing mother Constance Marten (pictured), 35, and her newborn child who were spotted in East London 

After her car broke down on the M61 near Bolton last week, Miss Marten is believed to have been spotted wrapped in red blanket in Harwich Port, Essex on Saturday at 9am

The family were last seen in the city earlier this month, but Ms Marten is believed to have been captured on CCTV after abandoning her car.

The car the couple were in had been purchased six days before they went missing. 

Information provided by taxi drivers suggests that the couple paid cash to travel first to Liverpool and then to Essex. 

They later stayed at a hotel using false names. They were spotted in Harwich Port in Essex at around 9am last Saturday . 

Essex Police said the trio took a taxi from Harwich to East Ham station in Newham later that day. 

Police said they are concerned that neither Ms Marten or her baby have been assessed by medical professionals since she gave birth. 

Constance Marten (left), who is missing along with her newborn baby, is descended from wealthy landowners with close links to the Royal Family. Police have issued an urgent appeal for help to find Miss Marten and the baby’s father Mark Gordon (right)

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Constance’s ancestors: Lt. Cdr George Marten with wife Mary and daughters Victoria, Charlotte and Georgina 

In police statements, Mr Gordon is described as wearing dark clothing while Miss Marten is said to have a southern accent and was wearing a burgundy coat. The baby is swaddled.

Met Police Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘It has now been more than a week since Constance and Mark’s car broke down on the M61, and we are growing increasingly concerned not only for their welfare, but for the welfare of their newborn child. 

‘Being on the move for a week must be exhausting for new parents and a newborn baby.

‘Constance and Mark, I appeal directly to you, please think of your baby’s health and wellbeing and get in touch with us so we can ensure your child is medically well and has no underlying issues. 

‘Please do this for your child. You wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself if they became poorly. All we want to do is help you and your baby.’

Ms Marten iss the granddaughter of Mary Anna Marten, whose godmother was the late Queen Mother. The family used to own the Crichel estate in Dorset.

Miss Marten’s great-grandfather was Captain Napier Sturt, the third and final Baron Alington. 

Her father, Napier Marten, was a page to Queen Elizabeth before giving up a £115 million family fortune and moving to Australia.