Steven Newing: White mouse clue in 50-year cold case of missing boy

Steven Newing went missing on 2 September 1969, and nothing has been heard of him since

An 11-year-old boy who went missing 50 years ago was seen playing with a white mouse on the day he disappeared, police have revealed.

Schoolboy Steven Newing was last seen near his home in Fakenham, Norfolk, on 2 September 1969.

Norfolk police hope the little-known detail may jog memories as part of a 50th anniversary appeal they call "the last roll of the dice".

Steven's family urged people with information to help "lay him to rest".

His brother Terry said: "I was the last person to see him and there is not a day goes by that I do not think of him and try to work out what happened.

"The effects of this have been profound on all our family.

"Our parents have since died without knowing what happened and Steven has an extended family who never met him, only knowing of him from newspaper cuttings and hearsay."

A memorial service for the life of Steven Newing was held in 2002, 33 years after he went missing

Steven was reported missing by his mother Jean when he failed to come back to their home in Lee Warner Avenue that night.

He had left his bike at home and had no money with him, fuelling fears that he had been abducted. A satchel believed to be his was later found, and sightings were reported in Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire.

His disappearance came less than six months after that of Norfolk schoolgirl April Fabb, whose fate also remains unknown half a century on.

Norfolk and Suffolk cold case manager Andy Guy said the detail of Steven's mouse might stir people's memories.

"People may not remember seeing an 11-year-old 50 years ago, but they might remember an 11-year-old boy with a white mouse," he said.

The schoolboy had found the animal the day before in a neighbour's garden and had been showing it to friends on the day he disappeared, he said.

Stephen Newing was seen with a white mouse on the day he disappeared

Mr Guy said it was most likely Steven had suffered "misadventure" or "come to harm by a third party", but said suggestions the boy fell down a well had been fully investigated.

"Fifty years on is probably the last time we can appeal to people," said Mr Guy.

"It's a last roll of the dice, from the perspective of people's memories."