'I would give anything to have him back': Woman makes desperate plea for help finding brother missing for 32 years

Ian Bushell in 1988 (left) and what he may look like today (Picture: Met Police)

A woman has made a desperate plea for help finding her brother who has been missing for 32 years.

Ian Bushell, from Thamesmead, was last seen by his father Wilton on January 20, 1988 when he was 21.

Wilton visited his son’s flat just weeks later, on February 16, but when no one answered the door he let himself in.

All of Mr Bushell's possessions – including clothes, wallet and keys – were in the house, but the 21-year-old could not be found.

His father immediately reported him missing but, despite numerous appeals for information, he has never been found.

Now, on what would have been his 54th birthday, his heartbroken sister Rosalind has appealed for help tracing her missing brother.

Ian disappeared without a trace in 1988 (Met Police)

She said in a statement: “I was only 16 when my big brother went missing and I have thought of him every day for the last 32 years.

“My dad passed away two years later in 1989 and my mother in 2010, so now it is just me.

“I have no other siblings and would give anything to have my big brother back home or find out what happened to him.”

Detectives issued an e-fit of what he would look like now, aged 54 (Met Police)

Police believe that Mr Bushell had been upset about something when he was last visited by his father but it is unknown what was troubling him.

Two unconfirmed sightings have been reported in north east London, the most recent being in 2007, but they did not lead to officers finding him.

PC Greg Humphrey, from the South East Missing Person Unit, said: “Ian’s family have not seen him since the late 1980s but time has not lessened their pain and worry.

“His parents sadly died without finding out what had happened to their son and we are now trying our best to get answers for his sister.

“We know there were two unconfirmed sightings of Ian over ten years ago but since then the trail has gone cold.

“We are urging anyone who knows where he might be or believes they have seen him at any point over recent years to get in touch with us.

“Any piece of information, no matter how small, could be the missing piece of the jigsaw we need.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting missing person reference 08MIS005765.