Man missing for months is found in giant hole in woods

A teenager who shouted into a hole expecting to hear an echo had the shock of his life when he heard the weary voice of a man who had been missing for a month call back.
Izaak Eglington-Watts, 19, was walking with friend Emily Thompson in Plymbridge Woods when they stumbled across a strange hole, and Izaak tried to hear his voice echo.
But instead, he heard a reply, as weary and injured James Thompson, 51, who had not been seen for a month, called back.
He told the Plymouth Herald: 'I was absolutely terrified. I did not expect a response back, but I am so happy he has been found.
'It was only out of curiosity that I went and had a look down it, I didn't think anything was going to be inside it.'
He said they'd come across the shelter and hole when they strayed from the path and got lost. It's believed Mr Thompson had crawled there for shelter after getting injured.
Had he not been found, he could have died as he was so emaciated and dehydrated.
Mr Eglington-Watts continued: 'I climbed down into it and asked Emily if she wanted to come in as well, but she said no. I kept shouting 'hello' over and over again to hear it echo, just out of fun and to make Emily jump.
'Then I climbed up into another section which lead into another hole and shouted hello again, which is when I got a reply back. It obviously scared me as it was pitch black down there, and all I had was my phone flash, but I couldn't really see anything.
'We walked back up to get away from the area, but she still didn't believe me that I'd heard somebody, so I said I would go back and record it to prove it to her.'
Mr Eglington-Watts then enlisted the help of two passing runners as he believed the man was stuck or hurt.
As a four, the group spoke to some contractors working nearby, who Mr Eglington-Watts believes called the police after they warned them the man could be dangerous and not to return.
A statement from Devon and Cornwall Police read: 'James Thompson who was missing from Plymouth was located safely late yesterday afternoon [April 5] in Plympton. The police would like to thank the public for their assistance.'
A spokesman for the force confirmed to the Herald that he could have been there for more than a week-and-a-half and he was close to death.
He had last been seen at the Asda petrol station, on Exeter Street in Plymouth, on March 7, 2017 at around 5.20am. His current condition is not known.