Fight goes on for missing son

It should have been a happy day for Daniel Nolan and his parents.

But the Hampshire schoolboy's birthday finds his family considering legal action, to force a new attempt to find their missing son.

Daniel, who would have been celebrating his 16th birthday on Wednesday, vanished after a fishing trip on New Year's Day in 2002.

His mother Pauline is delivering a 6,000-name petition to Downing Street on 12 February, calling for police to renew their efforts to find her son.

Ms Nolan and husband Greg believe detectives have not done enough to help find Daniel and are taking legal advice on the case.

" If he knocked on the door and we hadn't prepared for his birthday it would be awful "
Pauline Nolan

Supporters of the Find Dan Nolan campaign have added their criticisms of the police search to the petition.

Ms Nolan, from Hamble, near Southampton, told BBC News Online: "I don't want a head-on fight, but we do feel not enough was done in the first instance when Dan went missing.

"These points need to be raised, for Dan's sake and that of anyone else who may find themselves in our position.

"All the family and close friends have bought him birthday cards and they are waiting here for him.

'Ongoing operation'

"If he knocked on the door and we hadn't prepared for his birthday it would be awful.

"We have to hold on to the hope Dan is still alive as his body has never been presented to us. If that happens we will deal with it."

Colin Smith, assistant chief constable of Hampshire Police, has denied the search for Daniel has ended.

"The search for Daniel Nolan is very much an ongoing operation and we have never given up in our search for the facts behind his disappearance."

Daniel Nolan

Last year, Daniel, went to collect his fishing gear on the pontoon at Hamble Marina on his way home from an evening with friends.

But Pauline found his rod still on the pontoon in the early hours of the morning and Daniel has never been seen since.

Five police diving teams, two army sonar units and specialist sniffer dogs have searched for him, but nothing was found.

Mr and Mrs Nolan have put posters appealing for information on their son as far afield as Newcastle Airport and offered a £50,000 reward if he is found.

Anyone with information should call the BBC Action Line on 0800 055 055.