ONE of the first cold cases the new major crime unit will review is the disappearance and suspected murder of a nurse 16 years ago.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, head of the unit, said he was determined to solve the case of Harrogate District Hospital nurse Marsha Wray, who was last seen alive in January 1997 after dropping her children off at school.

The 38-year-old had never previously been reported missing and was a devoted and loving mother.

Her car, seen at Nidd Gorge, in Knaresborough, in the days after her disappearance, was later found in Leeds.

Her husband of 17 years, Colin, said she had told him she was going away for a few days.

Det Supt Malyn, who worked on previous intensive investigations into the case, said they had not yielded vital evidence, but he remained determined to provide answers to Mrs Wray’s family and friends.

Officers hope advanced technologies available in the unit will shed new light on the investigation.

Det Supt Malyn said information from the public would be crucial to providing breakthroughs for the unit to work on in unit historic cases.

He said: “I remain convinced that there are people who may have information that could help us with this investigation even now.

“All I ask is for them to contact us so that we can establish the relevance and importance of what they have to say.

“I fully appreciate that people are often reluctant to come forward for many different motives. All I can assure them is that our staff are skilled and trained and will provide the necessary support.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101 and pass details to the force control room or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.