Missing man's mother 'losing hope'

Vinny Derrick was last seen leaving the Jabez Clegg pub

The family of a man who has been missing since going on a works night out have made an emotional appeal for help in finding him.

Vincent Derrick, known as Vinny, disappeared after he left a Manchester bar on 29 August.

His mother, Vonny, told the BBC she was losing hope he would be found alive.

The married father-of-one is originally from Castle Donnington, Leicestershire, but had moved to Partington, Greater Manchester.

He has not been heard from since he phoned his boss to tell her he was getting a taxi to her house, where he was due to stay the night.

I don't think there's much hope for him now Vonny Derrick

He never arrived and police have spent two days searching the area around the A34 in Handforth, where they believe he got out of the taxi.

Vonny Derrick said: "I've got a beautiful grandson who Vinnie dotes on but you don't expect this.

"It's the not knowing. Its just as though he has vanished off the Earth - no sightings, no nothing.

"I think he is... I don't think there's much hope for him now."

"If anybody did know where he was, if he was just mugged or something, he would have been found.

'Close family'

"So to me he's somewhere where nobody wants to find him."

Mr Derrick's brother, Chris, said: "It's not like Vinnie at all. He can't go without talking to his family and his friends. We're a close family.

"Even though he lives in Manchester he is always on the phone to his dad or mum. He always e-mails me every day."

Mr Derrick had been out with colleagues from Walker Freight at the Jabez Clegg pub in the university district of Manchester on the night he went missing.

Police are searching ponds and waterways for Mr Derrick

Greater Manchester Police are still trying to trace the taxi driver who gave him a lift and have appealed for help tracing his mobile phone, which has not been used since the Saturday he was last seen.

Despite extensive searches, the Nokia 3650 has not been found and police believe it may have been picked up but not handed in.

Officers were carrying out searches of ponds and waterways near the A34 and the Cheadle Royal Hospital grounds on Thursday.

Inspector Matt Gallagher said: "If you have found Vinny's phone, which is a turquoise-blue colour, has a built in camera and a circular dial, please give us a call.

"You are not in any trouble, all we want to know is where you found it."