A couple whose son disappeared after being made redundant THREE YEARS ago have issued their first heartfelt plea for him to let them know he is safe.
Missing Stuart Higham, 27, was last seen by his mum and dad on his birthday on December 27, 2010.
A week after celebrating with family and friends, Stuart phoned his parents asking to borrow a holdall but they were busy at work so said they would call him back.
That call was the last they heard from their son, who disappeared on January 4, 2011 – the day his rent was due at the flat he shared with two pals in Nottingham.
After his disappearance, Stuart’s dad Chris, 58, and mum Lorraine, 59, found out he had been made redundant from his city centre call centre job.
Nottinghamshire Police traced Stuart’s phone to France the day after he went missing, and pals said they had seen him looking on the Eurostar website.
But even though he is on the international register of missing people, there have been NO sightings of him in three years.
Speaking for the first time yesterday (Sun), a day after the third anniversary of his disappearance, Stuart’s parents appealed for him to come home.
Mum Lorraine, who lives in Hucknall, Nottingham, said: “It’s incredibly hard for us, especially around Christmas and his birthday, which is on December 27.
“His brother and sister miss him loads. Everyone is so worried, it just feels horrible.
“I hate it when people phone me and don’t leave a message because I immediately think it is Stuart.
“I still look at every young man in the street – expecting it to be him.
“He seemed fine on his birthday – he was very chatty. We had a nice lunch. He had been happy all over Christmas.
“He hadn’t told us he’d lost his job a few months before. Maybe that was the reason he moved but we just don’t know.
“He’s a person who will chat to anybody and he’s really funny. He was always the joker.
“We all miss him so much.”
And dad Chris added: “We were expecting him to be moving into a new flat with a different friend, so when he rang asking for the holdall, we didn’t think anything of it.
“We thought it was just him getting ready to pack up to move.
“We think he is still alive and I have hope, but I also have every situation going round in our minds.
“Please, Stuart, contact us, because we are just stuck in limbo and we are really concerned about you.
“We just need to know you are safe and well.”
Stuart – who has a brother Matthew, 28, and sister Sarah, 23 – was reported missing by his flatmates when he didn’t come home on January 4, 2011.
Earlier that day, he was seen on CCTV at a video shop in Nottingham trading in some games but the trail went cold after that sighting.
Officers have given Stuart’s details to the Foreign Office and he is now on the international register of missing people.
Nottinghamshire Police inspector Simon Allardice said: “Stuart’s family is naturally very worried about him and his welfare. Three years is a long time to have no news of a loved one.
“Could you have given him a lift in your taxi or put him up for the night without knowing who he was? Has he contacted you?
“If you have any information at all please contact us.”
Stuart is described as white, 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build, with green eyes.
At the time of his disappearance he had short, mousy blonde hair and was clean shaven.
He was wearing a black zip-up, hooded, woolen top with blue jeans and trainers.
Anyone who may have seen Stuart is urged to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101.
