Video: Family make plea 11 years after Heanor grandad went missing

Mr Watson, a much-loved father and grandfather, was suffering from depression at the time of his disappearance and left the Derby City Hospital, in Uttoxeter Road, on the morning of August 22, 2004.

Mr Watson, who was 52 at the time and lived in Heanor, has not been seen since and despite extensive inquiries, police have not been able to trace him.

Now his family are making a fresh appeal for information almost 11 years since he was last seen. His wife Sue and granddaughter Katie attended a press conference today at Derbyshire Constabulary headquarters.

Mr Watson, 63, and his wife, Sue, would have celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on March 1. They have two married children and four grandchildren, three of whom Mr Watson has not met.

Mrs Watson, who still lives in Heanor, said the family had been living in ‘limbo’ for 11 years.: “Brian always loved fishing and he is meant to retire this year and could have spent more time fishing or being with the family.

“If he doesn’t want to come back home, he just needs to tell us. It would be difficult but all we need to know is that he is OK.

“We always live in hope that he is still out there somewhere and that we will see him again.”

Investigating officer DC Tina Green, who knows the family and recently returned to work for Derbyshire Constabulary, said: “Brian’s case is regularly reviewed to see if any new information can be found that might lead us to him but sadly, we have been unsuccessful.

“In the years since Brian went missing, people have contacted us with sightings but none of these have been confirmed as him.”

The last sighting was in 2007.

Mr Watson is 5ft 11ins tall and has blue eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he had short, wavy hair which was greying.

Anyone with information about Mr Watson should call police on 101. You can also contact the charity Missing People by ringing or texting 116 000.