Police have revealed that missing British hiker Esther Dingley’s domestic life ‘was not as idyllic as social media suggested’ as footage has emerged showing her just days before her fateful walk.
CCTV video shows Miss Dingley in a supermarket in the Spanish Pyrenees, where a shopper who saw her described her as looking ‘sad and thoughtful’.
The 37-year-old fitness enthusiast challenged staff at the Eroski store in Benasque over the price of a packet of chia seeds as she provisioned for her march over the mountains on Thursday 19th November.
A local English teacher can be seen coming to her rescue as Esther fails to understand the manager’s explanation over discrepancy in the cost of her shopping – as she could not understand Spanish.
Missing British hiker Esther Dingley is seen at Eroski supermarket in Benasque, Spain on November 19, days before her disappearance. The video shows Ms Dingley appearing ‘sad and thoughtful’ as she wandered around the supermarket
The 37-year-old fitness enthusiast challenged staff at the Eroski store in Benasque over the price of a packet of chia seeds ahead of her hike on November 19. A local English teacher can be seen coming to her rescue as Esther fails to understand the manager’s explanation over discrepancy in the cost of her purchase – because she could not understand Spanish
The footage has emerged as investigating officer Capitaine Bordinaro, who is leading the French part of the joint Franco-Spanish investigation, revealed that the couple’s life was ‘not as idyllic as the images posted on social media suggest’ following an interview with Ms Dingley’s partner.
Bordinaro told MailOnline: ‘We interviewed Daniel Colegate at the farmhouse where he is living in the Gers department on Monday.
‘We want to investigate all possibilities. We do not rule any line of inquiry.
Capitaine Bordinaro, who is leading the French part of the joint Franco-Spanish investigation, revealed that the couple’s life was ‘not as idyllic as the images posted on social media suggest’ following an interview with Daniel Colegate (together left) – Ms Dingley’s partner
‘But it does not seem probable that Esther suffered an accident, and it is not credible that she was eaten by a bear or that she has fallen into a lake.
‘We believe that her disappearance is either the result of a voluntary act, or as a result of someone else’s actions.
‘We went to see Mr Colegate so that we could go through social media with him – messages, etc.
‘It appears that their lives together were not as happy as the images posted on social media suggest.
‘However I would like to stress that we interviewed Mr Colegate as a witness not as a suspect.’
The Oxford graduate was interviewed by the French Gendarmes and the Spanish Guardia Civil last week about Esther’s disappearance.
Esther Dingley, 37, was hiking the Pyrenees mountains on the border between France and Spain when she vanished, prompting a search and rescue operation that has since been suspended due to the weather
Dan Colegate, the British partner of missing hiker Esther Dingley, was searching for her alone in the Pyrenees earlier this week. Pictured: A map showing the likely route she was taking
In the supermarket, the Chia seeds had been marked at a discount which only applied to shoppers in possession of a store loyalty card, Maria-Carmen – the teacher who helped Ms Dingley in the shop – explained.
Maria-Carmen told MailOnline: ‘Esther wanted to buy a packet of Chia seeds which were discounted. But you only get the discount if you have the Eroski loyalty card.
‘The girl at the till tried to explain this to her but she not understand because she did not speak Spanish.
‘So the girl called me and I came to explain this to her.
‘She said that didn’t matter and bought the seeds any way.
‘We didn’t have a long chat because I was on my way to work but she seemed a sad, thoughtful.’
Esther stayed at his 7,000ft Angel Orus Refuge (pictured) on November 17, and seemed ‘in very good spirits’
Esther also was spotted two days later practicing yoga moves in the car-park where she had stationed her Fiat campervan.
Maria-Carmen explained: ‘I saw her a couple of days later doing yoga in the street by her camper van.
‘It is not a usual sight to see someone doing yoga in the street in Benasque so I noticed it.
‘Later I heard that the English woman, Esther, had gone missing and I contacted the police and told them that I had helped her.
‘I just hope she is ok.’
Meanwhile the partner of Ms Dingley has been interviewed by police for a third time about her disappearance, MailOnline can reveal.
Four officers from the French Gendarmerie paramilitary force spoke to Daniel Colegate at the farmhouse in Gascony that he is house-sitting on Monday afternoon.
Mr Colegate, 38, had stayed at the £1000-a-week holiday let while long-term partner Esther embarked on a solo hike trip in the Pyrenees mountains last month.
Bordinaro maintained that Mr Colegate had been interviewed as a witness, not a suspect.