A CLOSE friend of a missing Oxford woman fears she may have hit her head days before disappearing.

Maja O’Brien, 78, has been missing since the morning of Thursday, March 28, when it is believed she left her home in Wytham Street, between 5am and 9am.

But Ms O’Brien’s friend and cleaner Carole Thorn, who saw her on the Wednesday before her disappearance, fears she could have been concussed or confused.

She told the Oxford Mail: “It was the Tuesday when she bumped her head.

“I saw her on the Wednesday and said: ‘you have got to go to the doctors.’

“She has had three (recent) falls – hurting her shoulder, hand and head.”

ALSO READ: Body found in river during search for missing woman Lorraine Easom

Ms Thorn added that her friend was planning to see family in Croatia this week, before she failed to show up for a concert a week ago.  

Thames Valley Police today renewed its appeal for information on the disappearance, which it says ‘is totally out of character’. The force are still trying to trace an eastern European musical instrument cleaner, who they believe keen flute player Ms O'Brien may have gone to meet.

READ AGAIN: Police try to trace musical instrument cleaner

Contrary to previous information, she is believed to be around 5ft 1ins tall. She is of average build, with short grey hair and brown eyes.

Oxford’s Ms Thorn, 59, continued: “(The latest fall) was at the side of her eye, it was really quite swollen. I said ‘you have got to get this checked out’. I was really concerned.

“When you have a bump to your head sometimes the effects are days later.

"I am just worried with this bump. Did she have concussion, was she confused? The whole thing doesn’t add up.”

Following an arrest on Monday on suspicion of robbery, police say a 45-year-old man who was trying to sell a flute has since been released without charge.

Meanwhile, Oxfordshire Lowland Search and Rescue have been working alongside police to carry out extensive enquiries to locate Ms O'Brien, who lives with a lodger, and is said to normally stick closely to a routine. 

Since she is believed to be on her bicycle, Detective Inspector James Senior, of Oxford Force CID, says the search area is "huge and there are endless possibilities as to where she could be."

He added: "Extensive searches have been carried out on river banks, towpaths, the Abingdon Road (and) Hinksey swimming lakes."

Earlier information suggested Maja was wearing a red coat, but police now believe she was in fact sporting an olive coloured jacket, a red tracksuit and walking boots. She is also believed to have her purple bicycle and her flute, which has a distinctive mouthpiece made of dark wood.

Oxford Mail:

Replica of the flute

Oxford Mail:

Bicycle similar to that belonging to Maja O'Brien

Police are continuing to appeal for any CCTV or dash-cam footage from the Abingdon Road area of Oxford from the morning of her disappearance.

ALSO READ: CCTV and dash cam footage appeal

Officers have been handing out flyers to members of the public on Wytham Street and Hinksey Stream today, to mark one week since she was last seen.

Mr Senior continued: “As time moves on, we are growing increasingly concerned for Maja’s welfare. This means we need the public to continue to report any possible sightings to police.

"I am certain that someone will have walked or cycled past her."

He continued: “This remains a missing person investigation and, as with all investigations of this nature, we are keeping an open mind regarding the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

“We made an arrest following a report that a man was attempting to sell a flute in Oxford however, following further enquiries, this was established not to be Maja’s flute and this person is not of interest to our missing person investigation.”

Anyone with any information about Maja’s whereabouts is asked to contact the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101 quoting the reference number 1528 (28/3).