Antique shop mystery re-examined

Police have re-opened a baffling case of an antique shop owner who vanished more than ten years ago.

In June 1990 Trevaline Evans left a note on the door of her Attic Antiques shop in Llangollen, north Wales, which said she would be back in two minutes. She never returned.

Her handbag was left inside and her car remained parked just 200 yards away.

Mrs Evans left a note on her shop window

Police speculated that the 52-year-old married grandmother may well have been abducted or murdered but the circumstances behind her disappearance remain a mystery.

One of the biggest investigations of its kind got under way with more than 330 statements taken, 1,500 names checked and 685 cars logged and eliminated.

Now, over 10 years on, North Wales Police have set up a special incident room where a team of 10 detectives are to review all that information.

"We see this as a potential crime but we still do not have a body," said Detective Chief Inspector Alan Jones who is leading the inquiry.

"Our task is to look at the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Mrs Evans and to extend the line of inquiries.

Police took more than 330 statements

"We are looking at the information collated during the original investigation and how developments in police methods and new scientific techniques can assist us in gaining further information on the disappearance of Mrs Evans."

A mystery man in a blazer was reported to have been seen at the shop at the time but he was never traced and it was not known if he was involved.

Despite this, Mrs Evans's family are convinced she was not the sort of woman who would have gone away with someone of her own free will. They have always feared the worst.

Her husband Richard - a retired maintenance engineer - said he had always believed that if anything came to light now then it would have been by accident.

And while he has welcomed the new investigation he and other relatives have said they are trying to not build up their hopes as no new evidence has emerged.