DETECTIVES searching for a missing North-East man in Greece hope the avid Middlesbrough football fan will turn up to watch his team play tomorrow night.

The move comes as police said they have solved the mystery surrounding a photograph delivered to Melvyn Gamblin's home last month.

Police will attend the UEFA Cup match between Greek side Egaleo and Middlesbrough Football Club, in Athens, in the hope Mr Gamblin attends.

An announcement is expected to be made during the match urging the 37-year-old, from Darlington, to speak to officers if he is in the stadium.

Mr Gamblin, who suffers from the debilitating condition ME, flew out to the country for the Olympic Games in August, but failed to board his plane home on September 3.

A photograph of Mr Gamblin was sent to his home last month with no note attached, prompting police inquiries to find out who sent it. Police have now discovered that it was taken by a professional photographer who agreed to post it to him.

Last Wednesday, Detective Chief Inspector Ted Edgar and Detective Sergeant Dave Wilkes flew to Greece to help local authorities with investigations.

DCI Edgar said they have worked closely with their Greek counterparts on a number of lines of inquiries and still have high hopes of finding Mr Gamblin safe and well.

He said: "The officers here have embarked on a thorough and extensive investigation into Mr Gamblin's disappearance and have done everything we would have done ourselves in their bid to find him.

"They have carried out searches not only in Athens itself, but also on a number of outlying islands and have interviewed people Mr Gamblin was known to have made contact with while he was here."

He said a picture of Mr Gamblin, who is a season ticket holder at Middlesbrough, will be circulated among police officers attending tomorrow's game, and checks will be made as supporters enter the stadium.

Mr Gamblin, known as Melv, was last seen almost seven weeks ago by staff at the hotel where he was staying in Athens.

His family are growing increasingly concerned about his safety, and his brother, Bryan, has flown to Athens to help the search