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ABERMAIN residents are riding a wave of relief after their missing neighbour Joy Morrow was found safe in nearby bushland, following a cold night where many of them joined the police search in cars, on bikes and by foot.
Neighbour Paul Mitchison said residents sprung into action on Sunday after word spread on Facebook that Mrs Morrow was missing.
"After feeling last night's temperatures, for her to come out how she has is an excellent result," Mr Mitchison said.
"[Residents] were combing the railway lines, it was an all-night thing.
"Once people got word on Facebook a lot of the area was instantly out combing the bush. It's that sort of community.
"My mate next door is in the volunteer fire brigade and was out to 2am.
"Something like that happens and everyone rallies around. It's just how the area is. It's just the way we are."
Officer in charge of Cessnock Police Station, Chief Inspector Michael Gorman, said it was "heartening" to see how Abermain and Kurri Kurri had responded when one of their own was in need.
"The community certainly came through with flying colours," Inspector Gorman said on Monday.
"The number of people that I had approach me this morning when we set up the command post at Abermain, neighbours that did know her, other locals that did not know her, who just wanted to support and help in any way they could - it was a really positive, great community response to wanting to help out a fellow Abermainian.
"There were a number of people on mountain bikes, in vehicles, walking, just... around in case she popped her head up.
"There were people who said they knew the bush tracks and were happy then to go ride around, drive around to see if they could locate her.
"It was really heartening in this day and age that there are people that care about those in their community and were willing to come drop what they had planned or were doing to come out and help us.
"It restores your faith in human nature and that there are lots of good people out there that are happy to help out others who are in need."
Mrs Morrow, 82, left her husband Jim in their Nelson Street home around 6.20pm on Sunday to take Maltese Terrier, Susie, 13, for a walk, but didn't return.
Neighbour Teagan Tait said Mr Morrow approached her partner about 20 minutes after Mrs Morrow went missing and asked for his help to look for her.
"I was a bit worried about her," Ms Tait said. "I could not sleep last night and was up to 2am. It was freezing."
Police, the airwing PolAir, State Emergency Service volunteers and residents started a ground and air search that continued through the night.
Neighbour Nicole Edwards said police rang her doorbell at 11.50pm. They said a woman was missing and asked if they could look in the backyard.
Mrs Edwards said she didn't find out until Monday the woman was Mrs Morrow, who is "lovely" and "chatty" and who her daughters take mail that has been left on the Morrows' front lawn.
The search was suspended temporarily before resuming about 7.30am on Monday, with the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association as well.
Inspector Gorman said he arrived at the command post at the Morrows' home not sure how long he'd be there.
"The really good community response meant we found her much earlier in the day than I was expecting," he said.
"I was there for the long haul and expected to be there for most of the day."
A man on a quad bike found Mrs Morrow lying near electricity transmission lines in bushland around 9.35am on Monday. Susie was by her side.
Inspector Gorman said the spot was about a kilometre south-west as the crow flies from the Morrow home.
He said the terrain was uneven and the area could be difficult to reach in regular vehicles, especially after rain.
Neighbours said the bushland is popular with dirt bike riders and four-wheel-drivers (4WD) using rudimentary trails and can be "dense" and "like a maze".
Inspector Gorman said two Hunter Valley Police District officers used trail bikes and the Police Rescue Unit used a truck and 4WD to reach the site.
Officers and paramedics carried Mrs Morrow on a stretcher to a private property accessible by road, where she was lifted over a fence, into an ambulance and taken to Maitland Hospital.
Inspector Gorman said Mrs Morrow has dementia and was confused, but did not appear to have fallen.
Susie was taken home.
"The information we'd received - which turned out to be true - was that Susie would stay with her."
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