Renewed appeal for girl who vanished 27 years ago

Carmel Fenech, 16, lived near Crawley when she was last seen in 1998

A renewed appeal for information about a teenage girl who disappeared 27 years ago is to be launched by police.

Carmel Fenech, 16, lived in Broadfield, near Crawley, West Sussex, when she was last seen on 21 May 1998 in the company of a man.

Det Insp Chris Rambour, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, is to appear on Crimewatch on BBC1 on Thursday.

He told BBC South East that police had "some people come forward, and we are working through that information".

Also known as Carmel Pendry, the missing woman was last seen at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court.

Mr Rambour previously said that officers wanted to identify the man Ms Fenech was seen with at the court, as he "clearly knew her".

'Where is my baby?'

Speaking in 2023, her mother, Deirdre Fenech, said she still looked for "a 16-year-old child, not a grown woman".

"I need somebody to come forward and tell us, 'Where is my baby?'. Somebody out there has information," she said.

"Just that one little piece of information could give our family some sort of peace."

Mr Rambour added: "Carmel has not been forgotten, and we are appealing once again to the public for any information that could help us to locate her.

"Together, we and Carmel's mother, Deidre, hope that this renewed appeal, combined with the enquiries we are still carrying out, will provide the missing information that could progress this investigation."

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