This week the Northern Echo is looking into the case files of the dozens of people across the North-East and Yorkshire who disappeared without trace - and the work that still goes on to find them.
Here are just 12 of the long-term missing people in our area. Do you know where any of them could be?
NAME: Janis Hall
MISSING SINCE: 19/12/2013
MISSING FROM: Catton
Pensioner Janis Hall was reported missing from her home in Catton, south-west Northumberland, on December 19, 2013. She had spoken to a relative on the telephone at about 3pm.
Her children appealed for her to come home for Christmas but there was no contact.
Mrs Hall is about 5ft 4in, of medium build, with short grey hair.
She wears glasses and may have been wearing a green fleece coat, black trousers and a black Russian-style fur hat at the time of her disappearance.
NAME: Robin Purvis
LAST SEEN: 31/05/2020
MISSING FROM: Belmont , County Durham
Robin Purvis, who is from the Durham area, last contacted his family on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, and was believed to have been in Kettleness, north of Whitby, between Thursday and Friday, June 4 and 5.
He is described as about 5ft 11in, with a bald head. His car, a blue 63-reg Citroen C3, was located by police at Kettleness car park, near Goldsborough footpath, on the evening of Friday, June 5, 2020.
NAME: Melvyn Gamblin
MISSING FROM: Darlington
MISSING SINCE: 03/09/2004
Melvyn Gamblin disappeared during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Mr Gamblin, who lived in Darlington and was 37 when he went missing, had been to the previous four Olympics.
He suffers from ME and occasionally had blackouts. Police feared he may have had had a blackout and become disorientated. Mr Gamblin travelled to Athens for the Olympics on August 9.
He was seen leaving his hotel on September 3, the day he was due to return to Darlington. However, he never checked out and several items were found in his room.
NAME: Naheed Khan
MISSING SINCE: 04/05/2018
MISSING FROM: Stockton on Tees
Naheed Khan, from Thornaby, has not been seen since May 2018 but was reported missing in June 2018 when family became increasingly concerned about her wellbeing.
Two years ago, in January 2019, police launched a murder investigation into Naheed’s disappearance but the case remains unsolved and she remains missing.
NAME: Scott Fletcher
MISSING SINCE: 11/05/2011
MISSING FROM: Hartlepool
Scott Fletcher, the father-of-one has not been seen since May 11, 2011 at around 8.20pm near to a garage on the A181 at Wheatley Hill in Durham.
He left the family home in Hartlepool and was allegedly dropped off in a vehicle by a person known to him in a layby on the A181 in Durham, in order to meet a female.
NAME: Steven Clark
MISSING SINCE: 28/12/1992
MISSING FROM: Marske-by-the-Sea
Steven Clark disappeared in 1992 while out on a family walk in Saltburn. His parents, Charles and Doris Clark, were arrested during a recent cold case review, and a murder investigation was launched last September.
At the time Mr Clark, of New Marske, east Cleveland, expressed his shock following his arrest by Cleveland Police. Steven’s parents have since been released without charge.
NAME: Michael Whinham
LAST SEEN: 14/11/2015
MISSING FROM: Newcastle
Michael Whinham from Benwell, Newcastle, vanished in November 2015.
The last confirmed sighting of him was on CCTV footage which showed him leaving Newcastle Crown Court, on the Quayside.
NAME: Callum Young
LAST SEEN: 26/08/2015
MISSING FROM: Sunderland
Callum Young, was last seen on August 27, 2015, at his home in Hylton Road, Sunderland.
He was reported missing three days later after he had not been seen and his family could not make contact with him.
Despite extensive enquiries, Mr Young is still missing.
NAME: Klajdi Shini
LAST SEEN: since 12/6/2016
MISSING FROM: Newcastle
Klajdi Shini left the Walker area of the city on June 12 and may now be in the London area, officers believe.
It is possible that he may be even using a different surname. Klajdi is originally from Albania but was living in Walker at the time of his disappearance.
NAME: Craig Hetherington
LAST SEEN: February 22, 2003.
MISSING FROM: Middlesbrough
Craig Hetherington, from Guisborough, vanished after a night out in Middlesbrough in February 2003.
A widespread search for the 22-year-old by police and relatives proved fruitless.
A photograph of the Teesside University engineering student was printed on milk cartons available all over the country.
His parents and friends say he gave no clue that he was unhappy at the time he disappeared and that it was "completely out of character".
NAME: Gerald Quigley
LAST SEEN: April 1999
MISSING FROM: Newcastle, has links to London
Detectives say they are keeping an open mind about what happened to Gerald Quigley after he was last seen.
Former solider Gerald was about 5ft 6ins, had a spotty complexion and brown eyes.
He had "Always wanted, Always loved" tattooed across his shoulders and a skull tattoo on his left arm.
Gerald was born in the south east and known to have links with the London and Surrey areas.
NAME: Stephen Bell
LAST SEEN: 4/8/2015
MISSING FROM: Newcastle
Stephen Anthony Bell, 39, who is known to people in Newcastle, was last seen on in the Harraby area of Carlisle
He is described as a while male, of slim build, 5ft 8ins in height, with mousey brown longish hair.
He was last seen wearing two tracksuit zip-up tops – one blue and one red – and burgundy coloured shorts.
- Visit missingpeople.org.uk if you can help in any of these cases.
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