MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 2003-36
Daniel Entwistle
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
norfolk-constabulary
Missing From:
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
Summary:
Daniel Entwistle was a seven-year-old boy who disappeared from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England on Saturday, May 3, 2003 while playing near his home. His red BMX bike was found abandoned near Trinity Quay by the River Yare the following morning, but Daniel has never been found. Despite extensive police searches and over 2,500 lines of inquiry, his disappearance remains one of the UK's most well-known unsolved child cases.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
On May 3, 2003, Daniel Entwistle went out to play on his red BMX bike during the May bank holiday weekend. His parents, Paula and David, asked him to run a short errand to a nearby convenience store called Blencowes to purchase some items. Daniel was captured on CCTV at the store at approximately 5:05 PM that day, wearing a blue Adidas T-shirt with striped sleeves, blue tracksuit bottoms, and grey training shoes. There were also potential sightings of him playing with other boys near Trinity Quay around 3:30 PM. When Daniel failed to return home for tea later that evening, his parents became concerned and began searching the neighborhood with friends and neighbors. At 8:00 PM, they contacted Norfolk Police and reported him missing. In the early hours of the following morning, Daniel's red BMX bike was found abandoned near the river close to Trinity Quay, approximately half a mile from his home on Copperfield Avenue.
Additional Details:
The disappearance prompted a major police investigation. More than 2,500 lines of inquiry were conducted and over 580 statements were taken from witnesses. The search involved numerous agencies including police helicopters, dog handlers, 60 uniformed officers, coastguards, the RNLI, and divers who searched the River Yare using sonar equipment. The investigation was one of the most extensive and expensive in the area, costing over £300,000. Extensive searches of the river, beaches, and coastlines yielded no trace of Daniel—no clothing, items, or remains. The active search was scaled back after two months. Since Daniel's disappearance, police have continued to investigate new leads. As of 2023, officers had conducted further searches and received 12 new pieces of information in the previous five years, though none led to resolution. Norfolk Police confirmed the case remains open and active. Daniel's father David Entwistle died in 2015 at age 50-something. It was later revealed that David had served a six-month jail sentence in 1987 for sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years old. In 2003, an injunction was placed on David preventing him from contacting Paula, and he was briefly imprisoned for breaching it. Paula experienced severe emotional trauma, suffering from epilepsy and struggling with the uncertainty of Daniel's fate.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
20th anniversary of Daniel's disappearance. Norfolk Police renew appeal for information. Three new calls received but do not lead to further advances.
David Entwistle, Daniel's father, dies at his home in Lowestoft, Suffolk. Death is ruled non-suspicious.
Two months after disappearance, Norfolk Police officially call off the active search, though the case remains open.
David Entwistle is arrested for breaching an injunction banning him from contacting Paula or visiting their home.
Paula Entwistle speaks to media, expressing belief that Daniel fell into water and was swept away.
After approximately three weeks of active searching, Norfolk Police begins scaling back search efforts.
David Entwistle makes emotional appeal at press conference. Police begin extensive searches using sonar equipment on the River Yare.
Daniel's red BMX bike is found abandoned near Trinity Quay by the River Yare in the early morning hours. Parents report him missing to police at 8:00 PM the previous evening. Major police investigation begins.
Daniel disappears from Great Yarmouth. He is last seen on CCTV at Blencowes convenience store at approximately 5:05 PM. Potential sighting with other boys near Trinity Quay around 3:30 PM.
Associated Persons
David E. (Father) - Deceased
Barbara D. (Aunt) - Living
Keith D. (Grandfather) - Living
Paula E. (Mother) - Living
John E. (Sibling) - Living
Anthony E. (Sibling) - Living
Family Tree
Why is this important?Missing person
Father
Mother
Paternal Grandfather
Paternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather's Mother
Paternal Grandfather's Father
Paternal Grandmother's Mother
Paternal Grandmother's Father
Maternal Grandfather's Mother
Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather's Mother
Paternal Grandfather's Father
Paternal Grandmother's Mother
Paternal Grandmother's Father
Maternal Grandfather's Mother
Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather
Paternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Father
Mother
Missing Person
Missing Person
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