WORRIED relatives have pleaded for help to find an 83-year-old man who has been missing for two weeks. Reginald Howse s family have been searching St Ives, Ramsey and villages in between in the hope of finding a clue that will solve the mystery of his di

WORRIED relatives have pleaded for help to find an 83-year-old man who has been missing for two weeks.

Reginald Howse's family have been searching St Ives, Ramsey and villages in between in the hope of finding a clue that will solve the mystery of his disappearance.

Mr Howse was last seen by his daughter, Jenny Lee, leaving the Sunday service at the village's St Thomas a Becket Church at noon on May 9.

He is then said to have had lunch at the Angel pub in Ramsey.

Cambridgeshire police believe the last confirmed sighting of Mr Howse was at the bus station in St Ives two days later, although other sightings have placed him near his home in the Great Whyte area of Ramsey.

Friends and family, including his two daughters and son, and his three grandchildren, have been desperately searching for him in Ramsey and St Ives, where he previously lived.

They have also been through his address book three times and visited his old haunts including the Oliver Cromwell pub in St Ives and Warners Park.

His daughter Mrs Lee, of Brookfield Way, Bury, told The Hunts Post that they have not given up hope.

"If he's gone away on holiday, then please just get a message to us to let us know you are safe. It is the not knowing that is difficult. We all miss him very much.

"Every time the phone rings you hope it is good news, but it's not and the torture continues. We are trying to live our lives as normal as possible but we keep thinking what have we missed."

Mrs Lee, 55, said her father suffered a stroke six years ago but was still very independent and would regularly travel by bus to Peterborough, Cambridge, Huntingdon and St Ives.

Mr Howse was at St Ives bus station at 6pm on May 11 and had told a bus driver that he had missed his last bus back to Ramsey.

Mrs Lee said: "He had obviously missed the bus but why was he still waiting there?"

Other sightings have placed Mr Howse in Ramsey at about 7pm later that day.

Mrs Lee said the sighting in Ramsey suggests her father had got a taxi home when he would normally call her for a lift.

She said the disappearance of her father, who is a former member of St Ives Rotary Club and Simads drama group, had left the family worried and confused.

"It is just so out of character," said Mrs Lee. "He didn't take any belongings with him. None of this makes any sense - it's as if he has melted away.

"All we can think of is that he has got disorientated and someone is looking after him.

"There is no way he could have just faded away in this area because he was so well-known."

Police are continuing to investigate the disappearance and officers are checking CCTV.

Mr Howse was described as slim, about 5ft 7ins tall with grey hair and was last seen wearing a brown three-quarter length jacket and brown trousers.

INFORMATION: Anyone with information can contact police on 0345 4564564.