THE family of a North-East man who vanished in Greece after watching the Olympic Games has scotched claims that he has disappeared to avoid debts.

Melvyn Gamblin's sister-in-law, Jo, said yesterday that a report in a national newspaper suggesting Mr Gamblin could have disappeared after running up £90,000 in credit card debts, were untrue.

"No one believes he has run away, the police definitely don't think that, and we don't think that," she said. "It simply isn't true."

She also dismissed claims that a photograph of Mr Gamblin sent to his home address in Darlington two weeks after he disappeared, had been sent by him as a cryptic message to let his family know he was alive and well.

A police spokesman said that such a suggestion was an unlikely possibility.

Mrs Gamblin said: "We are just desperately worried about him, and it gets worse the longer this goes on."

Durham Police are stepping up their investigation after Mr Gamblin disappeared on September 3, the day he was supposed to return to England from Athens.

The 37-year-old is an avid sports fan, having travelled to the last four Olympic Games and last year's Rugby World Cup. He is also a Middlesbrough Football Club season ticket holder.

Officers hope to enlist the help of Middlesbrough FC, by asking it to feature Mr Gamblin's disappearance on its website.

A police spokesman said that as the club has a match in the UEFA Cup in the Czech Republic tomorrow, if Mr Gamblin attends the game, a fellow fan might spot him and inform police.

The police have also contacted a Greek newspaper called Espresso, in Athens, which is to run a story about Mr Gamblin's disappearance.

The spokesman said there were no plans at present to send officers to Greece.

"The distance and language problems continue to be a difficulty, but Interpol and the Foreign Office are continuing to work on our behalf with the Greek authorities and hopefully that will bear fruit."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Darlington police on (01325) 467681.