Appeal over five-year-old murder

Kevin Palmer has not been seen since March 1999

A new attempt has been launched to find out what happened to a man who went missing from a country club in 1999.

Detectives believe Kevin John Palmer, 37, was murdered on 13 March, 1999, after leaving the Abshot Hotel and Country Club in Hampshire.

They believe that Mr Palmer took a taxi with two men and a woman towards Bishop's Waltham before going missing.

They renewed a plea for information after the digging up of a garden in Hoe Road last year revealed nothing.

Police failed to find Mr Palmer's body in an 11-day dig at the house

Mr Palmer, who lived in Spain, had flown to Britain the day before his disappearance and intended to travel to Newcastle.

That day, Mr Palmer visited the Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath.

He later attended a disco at the Abshot Hotel and Country Club, leaving at about 0100 GMT.

Police are hoping to trace a woman with long blonde hair who prevented Mr Palmer from getting into a taxi she was already sitting in.

Arrest made

They believe that Mr Palmer did take another taxi with two other men and a woman, but during the journey an argument broke out.

The driver stopped in a country lane, called Botley Road, near Curdridge, and the three men got out.

Only two men returned to the vehicle and, with the woman, continued their journey to Hoe Road, Bishop's Waltham.

A 51-year-old man was last year arrested on suspicion of Mr Palmer's murder, but later released on bail.

Anyone who has any information is being urged to contact Hampshire Constabulary.