Damien Nettles: Missing teenager file 'to remain open'

Police investigating the disappearance of a teenager on the Isle of Wight 19 years ago say the case will remain open.

Damien Nettles vanished, aged 16, after a night out with friends in Cowes on 2 November 1996.

His body has never been found but Hampshire Constabulary says it cannot rule out murder or foul play.

The force said 30 responses received following an offer of a £20,000 reward failed to produce any new leads.

Renewing their appeal on the anniversary of his disappearance, police said 1,134 people had so far been involved in the investigation - either as investigators, witnesses or people of interest - and 357 witness statements had been taken.

Last year, friends of the teenager began digging at locations at Gurnard and Parkhurst Forest after tip-offs, one of them from a clairvoyant, were dismissed by detectives.

The last confirmed sighting of Damien was on CCTV in Yorkie's fish and chip shop off Cowes High Street at 23:35 GMT.

He was also positively identified by his family from CCTV of Cowes High Street at 00:02 on Sunday 3 November 1996 where he was seen walking to a bus stop and then back along the High Street eating his chips.

In 2011, detectives arrested eight people on suspicion of murder but they were all later released without charge.