The mother of long-term missing teenager Damien Nettles is working with the charity Missing People to re-launch search efforts on the 26th anniversary of his disappearance.
Damien, aged 16 at the time, was last seen by his family on the evening of November 2, 1996, when he had arranged to go to a party in East Cowes.
He left the family home just after 7pm when his father drove him to his friend’s house in Cowes.
Damien and his friend then went to the floating bridge to go to East Cowes, to the house of a girl who was having a party.
After leaving the party, Damien was seen at multiple locations in Cowes. After buying chips at Yorkies Chip Shop, he engaged in conversation with a group of men who were later identified as Army members.
Damien’s last positive sighting was in the early hours of November 3, 1996, on CCTV.
He was walking, alone, eating chips on Cowes High Street.
Description of Damien Nettles at the time of his disappearance
At the time of his disappearance, Damien was described as white European, 6ft 3in with a slim build, brown eyes, short brown hair.
He has a V-shaped scar on his chin. Damien was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black fleece-style jacket, and black boots. He was also carrying with a small instant camera.
Family's appeal for missing Damien Nettles
Since his disappearance, Valerie, Damien’s mother, has worked tirelessly with friends and family to keep search efforts for Damien alive, in the hopes that he will be found safe and well.
- Read more: We will never give up on Damien say family
Valerie has also sought publicity support from Missing People.
In more recent years, as the search for Damien continues, Valerie has used her heartbreak to advocate for other families of missing children and young people.
In 2019, she published the book The Boy Who Disappeared in which she tells her account of Damien’s disappearance.
Reflecting on her motivation behind writing her story, Valerie told Missing People: "It’s about standing up for my missing son and much more."
The Boy Who Disappeared is available to purchase via Amazon and other book retailers.
In July this year, Valerie wrote a blog named Turning Adversity into Positivity, in which she outlines her advocacy for families impacted by missing.
Through her membership of the Missing People Charity Advisory Board and work with Missing People, police professionals and universities, Valerie aims to equip families with the resources she lacked when Damien first went missing.
Valerie said: "If being pro-active in the issue that took our son helps another family, then Damien’s short life has been given a purpose."
Missing on a Night Out campaign
Most recently, Valerie and Damien’s sister, Sarah Nettles, were the driving force behind Missing People’s preventative Missing on a Night Out campaign, launched in September.
Valerie said: “So many people in our family and his friends and wider community are affected by the ripple effect of his going missing. There is a name for this – it is ambiguous loss. If only he understood the dangers. If only we all had.”
Alongside their lived experiences of missing Damien, Valerie and Sarah shared their tips and advice for staying safe on a night out.
Have you got information about Damien Nettles?
Anyone with any information about what happened to Damien can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or Missing People on 116 000 or email 116000@missingpeople.org.uk
Visit Damien Nettles’ web appeal here and the website dedicated to Damien Nettles created by his family here
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