Nicola Payne: New Appeal For Missing Teen Mum

A young actor has joined the parents of a teenage mother who went missing 21 years ago to launch a new police appeal for information on the anniversary of her disappearance.

Nicola Payne, 18, vanished after leaving her home in the Wood End area of Coventry in December 1991.

She was heading to her parents' home a short walk away, but they never saw her again.

Marilyn and John Payne said they hoped the appeal would encourage people to come forward with information so they could finally find out what happened to their daughter, who had a six-month-old son.

Mrs Payne said: "I have a special time of the day where I sit and I think about Nicola. I even talk to her picture and I always think about her.

"It's very difficult yet people keep saying to me you're so strong.

"If they could see inside I'm completely broken. I get this awful pain and it just doesn't go away.

"That will never lift until she is found. If she's found then we can lay her to rest and then we've got an ending."

Actor George Evans is supporting the appeal after speaking to Mr and Mrs Payne while researching his role in a play called The Missing.

Police hope the involvement of the former Hollyoaks star, who at 21 is the same age as Miss Payne's son Owen is now, will encourage younger members of the local community to come forward with any information they may have heard while growing up.

West Midlands Police want to trace two men who were seen near where the teenager was last seen.

The men were by a parked car near Cardinal Wiseman School playing field, next to an area of wasteland called the Black Pad, between 12.15pm and 12.30pm on December 14, 1991.

Miss Payne had left her home in Winston Avenue at around midday that day to walk across the Black Pad to her parents' home.

Both men are described as white. One was 6ft tall, well-built and wearing a brown leather jacket.

The second is described as being 6ft 3in, thin, with short brown hair with a left side parting.

He was wearing a brown bomber-style leather jacket, light hooded sweatshirt and light blue denim jeans.

The men were standing next to a metallic blue Ford Capri, thought to be a 1980 or V registration with a black spoiler and dirty wheels.

Detective Inspector Martin Slevin said: "These men have never been eliminated from this inquiry and we are keen to trace anyone who may have seen them, who knows them or knows anything about them."

He added that a reward of £10,000 is available for information leading to the whereabouts of Miss Payne.

Mr Payne said: "The new appeal has given us hope that we're going to find something. We've always believed someone local knows something. We're not getting any younger and we just want answers."

Two men, aged 45 and 74, arrested earlier this year have been eliminated from police inquiries.

:: Anyone with information should contact police in Coventry on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Posts can also be left on the local police Facebook and Twitter pages at www.facebook.com/coventrypolice and @Coventry_Police .