Children are precious whatever their age. Image your son goes off on a gap year or an overseas adventure and is never heard of or seen again. That’s what happened 32  years ago when a happy-go-lucky, 19-year-old Lawrence Harvey headed for the stunning Greek island of Mykonos.

He arrived in April 1975 and the following month he phoned his mother saying he wanted to return home by July. He was planning to hitch-hike through Yugoslavia on his way back.

At some point, Lawrence’s mother arranged to send him money via Athens. He made a transfer call before he reached Athens, but this was the last his mother heard from him. On 17th June 1975, Lawrence crossed the border at Evzoni into Yugoslavia. He has not been seen or heard of since.

How does a helpless parent become involved in a police search in these circumstances, so far away with a different language and culture? It is a massive undertaking. I have no idea if there was widespread publicity at the time of Lawrence’s disappearance, I could not find any during my internet search.

Lawrence was described as a popular person with a happy nature and had a steady girlfriend. An age progressed image of Lawrence has recently been produced showing how he may look now aged 51.

In memory of those who are still missing.