NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Another sighting of missing Westport woman Leanne Ryall reported to police

By Teresa Smith
Other·
22 Mar, 2017 01:52 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A second person has reported seeing missing Westport woman Leanne Ryall on Friday. Photo / NZ Police

A second person has reported seeing missing Westport woman Leanne Ryall on Friday. Photo / NZ Police

Police have confirmed a second sighting of missing Westport woman Leanne Ryall last Friday morning.

Someone who knew Ryall greeted her at the intersection of Queen and Bright streets at around 9.15am, said Sergeant Malcolm Lamont.

Ryall was heading towards Palmerston St, he said. She greeted the person who saw her and the person noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

A police media release on Monday said the 50-year-old had last been seen walking south along Cobden St towards Derby St at about 9am on Friday.

Lamont said the later sighting was reported on Saturday. The witness was able to describe what Ryall was wearing.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The person who saw her on Cobden St earlier was also someone who knew her.

Police were reviewing CCTV footage from the northern end of Palmerston St for any sign of Ryall.

Yesterday police checked abandoned and empty houses for sale at the northern end of town as that was where the two sightings were made, Lamont said. However, nothing was found.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said many people had contacted police to ask if they could help but no one had reported any other sightings.

Not mobile

Ryall's partner had told police she was not a very mobile person and did not like to walk far, Lamont said.

"We understand she has weak ankles and generally doesn't walk far as she doesn't like walking on rough surfaces."

When her partner arrived at their Domett St home at 9am Friday to meet her, as arranged, she was not there. He became alarmed once he realised she was gone but her car was still there as this was unlike her, said Lamont, who did not know whether Ryall had left a note.

Ryall's partner had told police she had previously been under the care of a mental health doctor, Lamont said.

She had never gone missing for any period of time previously.

Family, friends, firefighters and Westport Deep Sea Fishing School personnel spent Friday and Saturday searching for Leanne Ryall before calling police on Saturday night. Photo / NZ Police
Family, friends, firefighters and Westport Deep Sea Fishing School personnel spent Friday and Saturday searching for Leanne Ryall before calling police on Saturday night. Photo / NZ Police

Her bank accounts had been untouched since Friday. There was also no indication that any larger sum of money had been withdrawn prior to her disappearance.

She had taken her cellphone, but it was turned off and had not been used since Friday, Lamont said. He did not think it was possible to establish whether a phone was deliberately switched off or whether the battery was flat.

Ryall's father and sisters, who live in other parts of the South Island, had heard nothing from her, he said.

Family, friends, firefighters and Westport Deep Sea Fishing School personnel spent Friday and Saturday searching for Ryall before calling police on Saturday night.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Police called out Land Search and Rescue on Sunday morning.

All up the search involved more than 50 people. They found nothing.

The search was suspended Sunday night and police later asked locals to check their own properties.

Ryall has two adult children and is assistant manager of Westport's St John Community Shop.

When last seen she was wearing three-quarter black leggings, possibly a short-sleeved top and green black-soled leather pumps, and carrying a black handbag. She is described as 160cm tall, of solid build with short wavy red/brown hair.

A Facebook page "Leanne Ryall please come home" has 619 members.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

- Westport News

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
New Zealand

Has Tory Whanau's experience put women off running for mayor?

18 Jun 07:26 AM
Premium
New Zealand

Magic man: Meet the one psychiatrist approved to prescribe magic mushrooms

18 Jun 07:09 AM
New Zealand

Police use drone in search for missing woman in Christchurch

18 Jun 07:00 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Has Tory Whanau's experience put women off running for mayor?

Has Tory Whanau's experience put women off running for mayor?

18 Jun 07:26 AM

There are no female candidates in Wellington's mayoral race this year.

Premium
Magic man: Meet the one psychiatrist approved to prescribe magic mushrooms

Magic man: Meet the one psychiatrist approved to prescribe magic mushrooms

18 Jun 07:09 AM
Police use drone in search for missing woman in Christchurch

Police use drone in search for missing woman in Christchurch

18 Jun 07:00 AM
'Angel of a fireman': 87kg St Bernard saved by sandwich in house fire tragedy

'Angel of a fireman': 87kg St Bernard saved by sandwich in house fire tragedy

18 Jun 07:00 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP