Milk Carton Kids: Brother's determination to find missing boys

Lee O'Toole said the disappearance of his brother, David Spencer, has "ruined" his life

David Spencer and Patrick Warren, 11 and 13, vanished on Boxing Day in 1996, and were never seen again. Now, a community has begun its own bid to find out what happened to them. David's brother explains why.

"I want to get my brother and lay him to rest, that is why I am here," said Lee O'Toole.

He was nine when David and Patrick vanished after spending the day playing near their homes in Solihull.

There have been multiple claims over the years that West Midlands Police did not do enough to find the boys, or their killer.

Now, 25 years on, and after a lifetime of heartache, he has decided to take the matter into his own hands.

Following a tip off in the community that the prime suspect in the case was seen digging on land about five miles from the boys' homes, Mr O'Toole and a group of men have picked up spades and shovels and begun digging for clues they hope will finally solve the mystery that he said has "ruined my life".

David Spencer (left) and Paddy Warren have not been seen since Boxing Day 1996

West Midlands Police said it had previously assessed the location on two occasions. It added that information provided by a witness had not been considered "consistent with the known chronology of events".

The force has urged people not to take part in the dig, and to leave searches to professionals, but the group has continued nonetheless.

Many of the team wear T-shirts emblazoned with David and Paddy's faces.

Dozens are taking part equipped with machinery, while supporters regularly arrive with food and supplies.

Many of those involved remember David and Patrick, growing up alongside them in Chelmsley Wood, a large housing estate of historically working class families on the edge of Birmingham.

The last sighting of them was at 00:45 GMT by a petrol station attendant who they asked for a packet of biscuits and were seen walking away towards Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre.

They became known as the "Milk Carton Kids" being the first children to appear on milk cartons as part of a campaign by the National Missing Persons Helpline.

Mr O'Toole said David had been his "backbone".

Those supporting the dig said they will stay there until the boys are found or they are satisfied there is no more searching to be done

"[His disappearance] has ruined my life, it has ruined my mind, I can't explain it," he said.

Despite the publicity, no major leads emerged until 2006 when convicted murderer Brian Field - who lived nearby at the time - was identified as a prime suspect.

He was questioned by detectives and officers dug up land he used as a dumping ground in Solihull, but Field denied involvement and there was insufficient evidence to charge him.

Mr O'Toole said he had been contacted someone who said he had seen a man digging in a field at the time of the boys' disappearance.

He told Mr O'Toole he had also shared this information with police, but it was never acted upon.

Mr O'Toole has said the police "left me no choice other than to put the shovel in the ground".

"For my family and Paddy's family, because this is for both of them kids, I am looking for the two of them for the closure for both of our families," he said.

"These people don't even understand what they are doing for me, they might just think they are coming down to help but it is a lot more than that.

"We've put David and Paddy back in the air.

"If I find [my brother], I am going to walk off and I've spoken to the people around me and we're just going to have to deal with that when we come to it.

"I am not prepared for this, I should not be doing this, but if I don't do it - if we don't do it - who is doing it? Who are Paddy and David?"

Chris Cullen is a close friend of Mr O'Toole and has been aiding his dig

His close friend, Chris Cullen said it had been "heartbreaking" for the family.

If they find something, it will be the "saddest and happiest day", he added.

"Finally they will be able to go to sleep, that is what we want."

There has been speculation about whether the boys' working class backgrounds affected how their disappearance was treated.

Senior police officers told the media at the time there was no reason to believe the boys had come to any harm, and local reporters were clear police regarded the boys as runaways.

Paddy's red bike was found behind the petrol station where they were last seen on 27 December, but it was not identified as his until weeks later.

One man, who was digging at the site on Wednesday but asked only to be known as Mark, remembered when the boys went missing.

The group are collecting items they recover during the dig

"It was a shock really," he said.

"They were just saying they were street wise... they were making them out to be bad when they were just kids.

"People make out it is a bad place and it is not."

Mark had been helping out at the dig until 23:00 the previous night and had returned just after 9:00.

Stephen Delaney said the two boys "need justice"

Stephen Delaney came from Castle Vale to bring volunteers some food after seeing about the search on social media.

"I just thought if it happened to me, if I can give a little inch then I will try my hardest to give some help," he said.

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James Farren, from Chelmsley Wood, had been helping for three days at the site.

"I feel sorry for everybody who is having to go through this, Lee, his family, Patrick's family, it is not on," he said.

"We are stepping in now as a community to come together and do this, no one should have to do this... but we're all here and we won't give up until we find them."

James Farren said the community has pulled together to support the families of both boys

West Midlands Police said Field remains a person of interest "as are a number of others".

Prof David Wilson, professor emeritus of criminology and founding director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University, previously co-hosted a documentary about Patrick and David's disappearance.

In 2016 he said he believed officers failed to treat Paddy and David as the vulnerable children they were: "If it had been two boys from [middle class] Solihull that went missing, that case would've been treated initially very differently."

Speaking on Tuesday, he said Mr O'Toole was "determined" to find his brother.

"Lee has taken the decision with his supporters, that he himself is going to look.

"He thought 'no, I have done everything the right way for 25 years, I am just going to look'," Prof Wilson said.

"It has characterised his life and his family's life, not a day has gone by that Lee hasn't thought about his brother."

He said he was "troubled" by the search and had encouraged Mr O'Toole to seek professional assistance and "absolutely" hopes the search will encourage West Midlands Police to offer more support to the family's investigation.

The force said it recognises and sympathises with the strong sense of feeling surrounding the disappearance of Patrick and David.

It said it understands there are many frustrations and a lack of trust around the initial investigation and the many reviews carried out since.

There has been speculation about whether the boys' working class backgrounds affected how their disappearance was treated

Police urged people not to join the dig and said searching should be left to them, as they use trained specialist experts who are able to preserve any evidence that may be found.

It said they are in touch with the Spencer family, and others, who are providing new information, and urged anyone with information to come forward.

Mr O'Toole said he has been contacted by the force to set up a meeting.

He has since been told about another potential site and said, once he is satisfied that he has done all he can at the current site, he will begin digging there.

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"Can't they just help us, what do we have to do as families to get the right service out of the police force? Don't we deserve it," he said.

"Either I'm taking my brother back or I'm taking this site out of the inquiries.

"I've had dreams about digging for my brother and this week, when I've woken up, I am living it."