Worldwide appeal for missing man

Richard Higgins vanished in 1998

A man who vanished five years ago while making his way home from Australia to the UK has become the subject of an international appeal.

Richard Higgins disappeared in March 1998 as he returned to Bristol to visit his dying grandmother.

The 35-year-old had been living in New Zealand since 1995, but left his job and his girlfriend saying he planned to travel home and see his family.

He never arrived in Britain and his parents, Barry and Margaret, from Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, and the police are seriously concerned for his welfare.

No contact

Barry Higgins said: "You can't believe it's happened to you. You think it is like a dream, you're going to wake up tomorrow and everything is going to be fine.

"Not a day goes by without you thinking about it.

His parents are desperate for news

"If we can find out that he is all right, then anything else would be a bonus. If we can speak to him it would be brilliant."

Mechanic Mr Higgins flew from New Zealand to Australia, and may have gone on to Indonesia, and possibly to Frankfurt in Germany.

He never made contact with his family or friends, and left many personal possessions behind.

Avon and Somerset Police have traced people who saw him in Sydney and Melbourne in April and June 1998, but nothing has been heard of him since.

Now they are joining forces with officers in the Australian state of Victoria to try and solve the five-year mystery.

Detective Sergeant Dave Trotter said: "As we don't know where he is, we are keeping an open mind about it.

"But we do find it strange that he has not been in contact with his family on birthdays and at Christmas as he always had done previously."