UK Newsquest Regional Press - This is Hampshire
March 1, 2002
Mediums join hunt for missing Dan.
BYLINE: Malcolm Prior (author email
malcolm.prior@soton-echo.co.uk)
SECTION: News
LENGTH: 516 words
DATELINE: TOWNANDCOUNTY
MEDIUMS have been using their spiritual powers in a bid to find a vital clue that could help to solve the mystery disappearance of Hamble teenager Dan Nolan.
The Daily Echo can reveal this new development in the search for the 15-year-old who vanished from the yachting mecca after a late-night fishing expedition with pals.
It is about seven weeks since he went missing but so far extensive searches of the river and the village have drawn a blank.
Earlier this week Dan's parents, Greg and Pauline Nolan, announced a GBP 50,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of their son.
Now, as the search is stepped up, the family have enlisted the services of private investigator, Peter Bascombe, 41, a former Hampshire detective.
He has told the Daily Echo how mediums have been involved in the search for the missing teenager. One examined items belonging to Dan while another visited the area where he was last sighted.
Mr Bascombe said: "We have interviewed mediums who have offered their advice and two have given particular pieces of information. One was that Dan's body was located at an address in Bishop's Waltham which police subsequently checked out and found to be negative.
"There was also a mention of something to do with a red hatchback car and that he had a head injury and an injury to his arm where he was dragged along. We have not been able to substantiate any of that."
From his Brays Detective Agency offices at Whiteley, near Fareham, Mr Bascombe has been sifting through every scrap of evidence.
He admitted that at the moment the clue cupboard is bare and said: "It is apparent that the police have covered every angle."
But he added that having looked at all the evidence, everyone was of the same opinion that the last sighting of Daniel was at 11.38pm outside The Victory in Hamble High Street on New Year's Day.
Mr Bascombe believes that there could be three scenarios behind his disappearance.
He said: "The first and obvious one is that he did go back to his fishing gear and, for whatever reason, he has fallen in the river. But there has been no trace of any of his clothing or other items.
"The second is that something more sinister has happened to him and that he has been abducted by someone leading him by foot from the High Street, or being bundled into a car or a boat."
Thirdly, Mr Bascombe said, Daniel may have walked off and did not want to contact anyone.
In the search for new clues, Mr Bascombe has been reinterviewing people who have given statements to the police and family.
But he said: "We now need new information from anyone who was in Hamble on New Year's Day between 11pm and 3.30am."
The detective said he realised how devastating it must be for the Nolan's not knowing where their son is.
He said that everyone was hoping and praying that they would find him.
Mr Bascombe, who can be contacted on 01489 588885, is waiting on the end of the phone line in the hope that he will get the all-important breakthrough which could solve the mystery which has so far baffled the Hamble community.
