Graves search fails to find clues about missing teen mum Natalie Putt

A police search for the remains of Natalie Putt, who went missing in 2003, has failed to find anything.

Forensic investigators started combing through a set of graves in Ruiton Cemetery, near Dudley, West Midlands, on Tuesday.

On Wednesday the officer leading the operation said it had turned up nothing of use.

West Midlands Police (WMP) said it was again appealing for the public's help.

Teenage mum Natalie was last seen 14 years ago, in September 2003, when she left her home in Dudley to go to a shop.

The 17-year-old left behind her baby son - then just 11 weeks old.

An 18-year-old local man was arrested in March 2004 in connection with the disappearance, but was later released without charge.

Police have previously said they are treating the case as murder even though Natalie's sisters Becky and Lowri have said they would never give up hope of finding their sibling.

A WMP spokesman said four sarcophagus-type graves had been examined without the need for remains to be removed, but nothing was discovered.

They have now been re-sealed and returned to their previous state.

The force said since it had announced it was carrying out new investigations into Miss Putt's death it has received "very significant telephone calls".

It appealed directly to a local man who made a phone call to police from a telephone box in Lake Street to come forward.

Detective Inspector Ian Iliffe, from the cold case team, said: "Unfortunately, we found nothing which could give us any clues to Natalie's whereabouts, but we are continuing to review other locations of interest as a result of information received during the last 24 hours.

"We have been conducting local enquires to locate the man who made the telephone call from the kiosk in Lake Street.

"I would like to appeal directly to this man - please contact my detectives, you could make a difference to the outcome of this investigation and provide the family with the answers that they deserve and have waited so many years for."