March 2010
Plea to trace missing teenager Ruth Wilson 14 years on
A school friend of a Surrey teenager who has been missing for more than 14 years has made a television appeal.
Ruth Wilson was 16 years old and attended Ashcombe School in Dorking and lived with her parents and younger sister at their home in the village of Betchworth. On Monday 27 November 1995 at around 11:30am Ruth took a taxi into Dorking, at around midday she ordered a bouquet of flowers for delivery to her mother and after this went to the library where she stayed until around 4pm. She was last seen by a taxi driver who dropped her off at the Hand in Hand Pub in Boxhill at around 4.30pm.
In the days following her disappearance a number of friends and members of the public reported seeing Ruth around the Dorking area. There were also numerous reported sightings around Britain following the national media coverage the case attracted. However, in the years since she went missing, Ruth’s family have had no contact from her and police have received no further clues as to her whereabouts.
Following Ruth’s disappearance Surrey Police launched an extensive investigation to try and locate her. Police officers, together with a police helicopter and police dogs, searched the Boxhill area where she was last seen. Officers were joined by members of the public in the search but nothing was found. Every possible lead received through statements from friends, relatives and members of the public were pursued in the fullest
Roxy Birch told the BBC’s Missing Live programme she was a “brilliant friend”. “She had a good sense of humour, lots of varied interests, incredibly intelligent,” she said, adding there were signs that her friend had planned to disappear
“She sent flowers to be delivered two days after she was last seen for no real specific reason,” Ms Birch said.
Following Ruth’s disappearance Surrey Police launched an extensive investigation to try to locate her.
Officers, together with a police helicopter and police dogs, searched the Boxhill area where she was last seen.
When Ruth went missing she was about 5ft 3in (1.57m) tall and had dark, shoulder length hair, and wore glasses.
A person resembling the teenager was captured on CCTV at a newsagent’s shop just two miles from Boxhill, almost a year to the day after she disappeared.
‘We love you’
In the 14 years since she went missing Ruth’s family have had no contact from her and officers have received no firm clues as to her whereabouts.
Sgt Terry Hardie, from the Missing Persons team, said: “Over the years we have followed-up many possible sightings of Ruth but we still do not know exactly what happened to Ruth after she was dropped off by a taxi.
“Ruth will be in her 30s now and I hope by relaunching the media appeal someone who knows where Ruth is, or Ruth herself, comes forward and is able to end the distress suffered by Ruth’s family.”
A statement from her parents, broadcast on Thursday’s Missing Live programme, said: “We love you and think about you every day.
“Our greatest wish is that you are safe and happy and that one day you will make contact and be part of our life again.
“We have never ever stopped loving you and missing you. We love you.”
Click this link for video for person resembling missing Surrey school girl Ruth Wilson seen in a shop in November 1996, almost a year after her disappearance
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