Police suspend search for missing woman Mary Berrington

Mary Berrington was reported missing on Wednesday. Photo / Supplied

Police have suspended the search for a missing Upper Hutt woman who has been missing for five days.

Mary Berrington, 62, has not been seen or heard from since 9pm Tuesday, when a family member last spoke to her at her home in Upper Hutt.

More than 50 police officers and Land Search and Rescue volunteers have conducted an intensive ground search surrounding the missing woman's home on Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt.

The missing woman, who is in her 60s, has bipolar disorder and police have grave concerns for her safety.

It's not the first-time that Berrington, who also has a mental impairment and may have stopped taking her medication, has gone missing.

In 2008 she was also reported missing, but was found a few days later.

Detective David Manson said the team had worked "tirelessly" over the last few days to try find Berrington and return her to her family.

"An exhaustive search effort has been carried out and we have now completed searches of all reasonably possible areas where Mary could be."

Yesterday the Police Dive Squad had searched the Hutt River from the Totara Park overbridge south for any sign of the missing woman, or for indications that she may be in the river.

Manson said he'd spoken to the family who were "hugely disappointed" that Berrington had not been found, but he said they were also immensely grateful for all the support provided by the community.

"Although the search has been suspended, this does not mean that work will cease on trying to locate Mary."

He said police would continue with their missing person's investigation.

Earlier in the week, police reported there had been many possible sightings of Berrington that were being verified.

They knew Berrington had attended a church dinner on Tuesday night before she went home and spoke to a relative on the phone.

She was believed to be wearing a dark polar fleece jacket and dark leggings.

Anyone who thinks they might have seen Berrington is to contact Upper Hutt Police on 04 527 2300.