Marion Hodge: Investigation relaunched over 1984 disappearance

Marion Hodge disappeared from the south of Scotland more than three decades ago

An investigation has been relaunched into the disappearance of a Lockerbie woman more than 35 years ago.

Marion Hodge was reported to have been dropped off on the Whitesands in Dumfries on 6 July 1984 and was never seen again.

Detectives from the Police Scotland's unresolved homicide team are looking again at the case.

They will be visiting the area, speaking to original witnesses and encouraging new ones to come forward.

Police hope they can jog people's memories of what happened more than three decades ago.

Declared dead

Ms Hodge was reported to have been seen on the Whitesands carrying a blue canvas suitcase and brown handbag.

She was wearing a cream, high-collared blouse, grey skirt and black sandals at the time.

Three days later she was reported missing to Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary.

The mother-of-two lived in Balgray, Lockerbie, and worked in the town's Clydesdale Bank.

Ms Hodge was last reported to have been seen in the Whitesands area of Dumfries

She was described as 5ft 4in tall, of slim build with dark brown, collar-length hair. She was 34 at the time of her disappearance.

With no further sightings or contact, she was declared legally dead by the Court of Session in 1992. Her body has never been found.

Police Scotland said it kept unresolved cases under review, including those by its predecessor forces.

Det Insp Stephen McGrath said: "We're determined to get to the bottom of what happened to Marion all those years ago.

"It has been a significant amount of time that has elapsed since then - memories do fade - however, I believe that the answer to her disappearance lies within the Lockerbie community.

"We will conduct a professional and thorough investigation to establish what happened to her and bring closure to her family who have suffered the anguish and the grief all these years of not knowing what happened to Marion."

'Uncharacteristic' disappearance

Ms Hodge's sister, Frances, has joined the appeal for information.

"Marion did well at school and liked sports and singing," she said. "She was voted Gala Queen at Lockerbie when she was 15.

"She could have gone on to further education but got engaged at 18, then married and became a mother at 19."

She said her sister was "devoted to her children" and had gone back to work when they were at school and was working in the Clydesdale Bank branch during an armed robbery in the year she disappeared.

"When we were told that she had 'gone away' we believed this was uncharacteristic of Marion as she wouldn't have left in that manner," she said.

"She would never have turned her back on her children.

"The day Marion disappeared was her son's 15th birthday. She thought too much of her children and would never have run out on them like that."

Anyone with information has been urged to contact the police.