Nicola Payne: Police search canal for mother missing since 1991
Detectives have begun searching a canal in a bid to locate the body of a young mother who disappeared in Coventry almost 30 years ago.
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Nicola Payne was 18 when she disappeared in 1991
Nicola Payne, then aged 18, was last seen walking to her parents' home across waste ground in the Wood End area of the city on December 14 1991.
West Midlands Police said they are acting on "new information" and are working closely with a specialist underwater search team to find Nicola's body.
Police are searching an area of a canal between Coventry and Rugby. Photo: SnapperSKPolice are searching an area of a canal between Coventry and Rugby. Photo: SnapperSK
The latest in a series of searches is currently taking place at an area of a canal between Coventry and Rugby.
A £100,000 reward has been offered since 2018 for information leading to the recovery of Nicola's body.
Detective Inspector Justin Mason-Spanner, from the force's homicide team, said: "We are as committed as ever to finding Nicola's remains, allowing her family to lay her to rest and to achieving justice for her family and the community.
Police are searching an area of a canal between Coventry and Rugby. Photo: SnapperSK**Moving Footage with relevant desk** Pic by SnapperSK - (Pictured: Speacialist teams are using sonar to search a canal close to Rugby for missing woman, Nicola Payne. Pic taken 03/02/2020) - We are acting on new information and searching an area of canal between Coventry and Rugby as part of our efforts to find Coventry mum Nicola Payne. We are working closely with a specialist underwater search team to find Nicola and help bring closure to her family. Detective Inspector Justin Mason-Spanner from the homicide team, said: âWe are as committed as ever to finding Nicolaâs remains, allowing her family to lay her to rest and to achieving justice for her family and the community. âWe recently received new information which has led to this search that will last a few days. Nicolaâs family has been kept fully informed. âWe still believe there maybe people out there who hold information about what happened in 1991 and I urge anyone who has not previously contacted us with information to contact us. It could make all the difference and could finally bring Nicolaâs family the closure they deserve." In January 2018, the reward for any information leading to finding Nicola was raised to £100,000 by an anonymous donor. Anyone with information about Nicolaâs disappearance should contact the homicide team on 101, you can also contact us via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, or call Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555 111. ENDS.
"We recently received new information which has led to this search that will last a few days. Nicola's family has been kept fully informed.
"We still believe there may be people out there who hold information about what happened in 1991 and I urge anyone who has not previously contacted us with information to contact us.
"It could make all the difference and could finally bring Nicola's family the closure they deserve."
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