April Fabb

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

norfolk-constabulary

Missing From:

Metton, Norfolk, England

Summary:

April Fabb was a 13-year-old English schoolgirl who disappeared on 8 April 1969 while cycling between the villages of Metton and Roughton in Norfolk. She left home to visit her sister in a nearby village, but her blue and white bicycle was found abandoned in a field about 15 minutes after she departed, with no trace of the girl ever discovered. Her disappearance prompted one of the largest police search operations in UK history, yet remains unsolved to this day.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On Tuesday, 8 April 1969, at around 1:40 p.m., April left her home at 3 Council Houses in Metton to visit her sister's house in Roughton, a journey of approximately 1.7 to 2 miles. She was cycling to deliver a packet of 10 cigarettes as a birthday present for her brother-in-law. Shortly after leaving home, she met two friends at the Donkey Field next to Harrison's Farm on Cromer Road and chatted with them for about ten minutes before continuing on her way. Just after 2:00 p.m., an employee at Harrison's Farm saw April riding her bicycle along Roughton Road in the direction of Roughton—this was the last confirmed sighting of her. At around 2:15 p.m., approximately 15 minutes after she was last seen, Ordnance Survey workers discovered April's blue and white bicycle lying in a field on the Metton to Roughton Road, just a few hundred yards from where she had been seen. The bicycle was found lying on its side, having been thrown over a 6-foot bank onto the country lane. Despite extensive searches of the surrounding area, no trace of April was ever found.

Additional Details:

April's disappearance triggered one of the largest police search operations the United Kingdom had seen at the time. On the first full day of searching, 9 April 1969, 40 officers were deployed alongside every available police dog in the country, with the effort expanding to include hundreds of local volunteers and support from military personnel. The initial investigation was extremely thorough, with 1,971 statements taken and 419 house-to-house questionnaires completed. However, despite numerous lines of enquiry, potential suspects were eliminated and no definitive leads emerged. Later searches using advanced technology failed to locate her remains: thermal imaging cameras were deployed in 1997, and a well in the area was excavated in 2010, both yielding no results. Forensic anthropologists also conducted a GIS mapping project to assist in locating April's remains. Serial killer Robert Black was questioned regarding her disappearance, as investigators noted similarities between her case and other child abductions during the 1970s and 1980s. Some former Norfolk police officers have suggested that Black may have been responsible, though senior detective Andy Guy later ruled out a definitive link. Peter Tobin, another serial killer, has also been suggested as a possible suspect given his movements during Easter holidays in the region. April's case bears striking similarities to the 1978 disappearance of 13-year-old Genette Tate, who disappeared while cycling on a paper round in Devon. Both girls were the same age, last seen cycling alone in rural countryside lanes during daylight hours, their bicycles were found abandoned with no signs of struggle, and neither body has been recovered. In August 1978, Norfolk Constabulary pointed out these similarities to Devon and Cornwall Police when Tate disappeared. April's father, Ernest, died in 1998 without knowing what happened to his daughter. Her mother, Olive, lived until 2013, also passing away without answers. A memorial plaque was placed at the main door of St. Andrew's Church in Metton, which April regularly attended. In 1995, former Norfolk CID head Maurice Morson published a book titled 'The Lost Years: The Story of April Fabb' to aid the investigation and serve as a memorial. Updated editions were published in 2007 and 2012. In 2018, a stage play called 'Into Thin Air' was inspired by Fabb's disappearance. Norfolk Police continues to treat the case as open and active, with cold case reviews and public appeals issued on anniversaries.

Case Last Updated:

Jul 30, 2026