A FRAIL old man has been found safe after three days and nights in the open..

Mr Frank Bleakley, aged 86, was found by a mounted policeman huddled against a fence in the grounds of Beloit Walmsley on Crompton Way yesterday afternoon.

Mr Bleakley, dressed in just light clothing, was taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia and dehydration but was otherwise unhurt.

His family believe the retired mechanic wandered in to the factory to look at the cars in the car park and became lost for three days in the shrub land surrounding the factory.

"Who would have thought a man his age could have survived outside for 72 hours with just a bit of a cardigan to keep him warm," said his relieved only son Martin from Smithills.

Mr Bleakley, who suffers from senile dementia and is unsteady on his feet, disappeared from the nearby Seymour House, residential home in Astley Bridge on Monday afternoon.

Fearing he would not survive a fourth freezing night in the open, police and mountain rescue teams launched a massive search yesterday morning. Mounted police combed open ground and Bolton Mountain Rescue and the Search and Rescue Dog Association were called in to help find Mr Bleakley.

"We decided to make an all out effort and thankfully it was successful," said Sgt Andy Baybolt.

"He was still conscious when we found him but not really talking. It looked like he had just stopped and sat down for a rest."

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