Essex family issue appeal to missing man 10 years on from his disappearance
He hasn't been seen since 2012
Today marks the 10 year anniversary since Essex local, Anthony Stammers, went missing.
On the anniversary of his disappearance, Anthony's parents, Rob and Julie, have appealed for anyone who has seen their “kind and gentle” son, knows where he is, or is with him, to come forward with information.
The now 27-year-old was last seen leaving his family home in Mile End Road, Colchester, at about 10am on 27th May 2012.
He was due to attend his Grandfather's funeral the following day, but when he failed to show up for the service, his parents reported him as missing to police.
In the last decade, Essex Police say they've followed up potential sightings of Anthony in areas such as Colchester, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Doncaster and London but that none have resulted in significant lines of enquiry, and he still hasn't been found.
Essex Police's investigation remains open and Anthony's parents are still hopeful, with Mum Julie saying: “You never move on, you don’t really even ‘deal with it’, you ‘get through it’; that’s what we do. Today could be the day we find him."
To mark ten years since Anthony was last seen, the family are completing a series of fundraising events to raise money for the charity, Missing People, from which they have received huge support.
Anthony’s older brother, James, who lives in Bristol, has recently appeared in the Channel 4 show, SAS Who Dares Wins with the aim of raising the profile of Anthony’s disappearance.
On Friday, he will set off from Kingston-upon-Thames, where Anthony attended university, to run through the day and night to arrive in Colchester Castle Park on Saturday morning.
His arrival will coincide with the final throes of a fundraising drive by Julie and Rob, who are aiming to walk 50km in ten days, ending with the Colchester Park Run, on Saturday.
They've already raised over double their initial target of £2000, which Julie is pleased about: “When you’re a part of this club – the club that nobody wants to be a part of – you find that, really, these are the only people who really understand how you are feeling.
“Missing People has been a real support for so many families like ours and we really want to do as much as we can to help them with funding.”
Dad Rob tells us the pain of not knowing where Anthony is hasn't eased over the years: "We really live a sort of dual existence. One the one hand, we know we have to live ‘normal life’; there are things to do and bills to pay and we have two other children who deserve to live their lives to the full.
"And on the other hand, we know that Anthony is missing and the pain that goes alongside that can rear its head at any time.”
Mum Julie added: “There were, and still are, days when you feel like you don’t want to get up, but I remember what Rob has said to me before, that today could be the day we find him. That’s what keeps us going; that and very dear family and friends."
The day Anthony went missing
On the day Anthony went missing, he was carrying a record holder-style bag and spoke to his mum as he left, telling her he was going out for a while and was likely to stay overnight at a friend’s house before attending his grandfather’s funeral planned for the next day.
Julie said: “For some reason, I really don’t know why, on that occasion I clocked him head to toe and took in everything that he was wearing.
“He texted me asking to make sure his trousers were ready for the funeral – and that was the last contact we had.”
Enquiries found Anthony had withdrawn money from a nearby petrol station during the morning and that is his last-known bank transaction.
Anthony is white, 5ft 10ins, and is of medium build, with short, dark-brown hair, although he may now have longer hair or have dyed it. He could also have a beard.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a red and blue checked shirt, carrying a black satchel and may have been wearing a black New York Yankees baseball cap and beige jacket.
Anyone with information should call Essex Police on 101, or contact www.missingpeople.org.uk citing reference 12-001452.