Villagers where Chloe Ayling was 'held hostage' question model's story

Villagers living in the remote community where Chloe Ayling was reportedly held captive have claimed that they saw her on several occasions and believed that her relationship with her captor was romantic.

The 20-year-old, from Coulsdon, South London, was allegedly held by Lukasz Herba for six days in July before she was freed.

It is alleged that the glamour model travelled to Italy for a shoot, but was kidnapped by a gang – before being released a week later after they realised she was the mother of a young child.

In her original statement to police, as reported by the Associated Press, Ayling said she was held captive and never left the remote farmhouse dwelling where she was being detained.

“The man who was with me at the consulate – after my kidnapping at the studio and after two men took me to an apartment by car – was the only one who held me prisoner for entire duration of my kidnapping, who watched over me, stopped me from going out or escaping, threatening me that they would kill me if I did so,” she is reported to have said in her police statement to Milan police.

“From the moment I was kidnapped and held in the flat, the man who today took me to the consulate took off my handcuffs and the tape from my mouth, leaving just the handcuffs (attached to) my ankles which held me to a bedside table preventing me from moving freely or (any) possibility of escaping.”

But despite Ayling’s apparent claims, locals in the Alpine town of Borgia claim that she was spotted out on several occasions – with one spotting the pair in a nearby mini-market.

Cesare Prati, who rented the house where Ayling was held captive in the tiny alpine village of Viu also said there remained outstanding questions to be answered.

‘The whole affair seems strange – I heard from friends she was going round the village. What kind of kidnap is that?’, he told the i newspaper.

‘In Viu there’s police and carabinieri, it’s full of people. Why didn’t she ask for help, I don’t understand.’

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Despite Ayling facing questions over the story, Herba claimed to have been involved in a human trafficking gang called Black Death – with a photo of Ayling posted on the Dark Web.

In the aftermath of the event, Ayling has also signed up to a celebrity agency and is reportedly in line to give after dinner speeches earning up to £2k for charity.