Milton Keynes police issue renewed plea on what would be the 22nd birthday of Leah Croucher

Police have issued renewed appeals for the public's help to mark the 22nd birthday of missing Milton Keynes woman Leah Croucher.

Leah was just 19 when she vanished without trace while walking to work on February 15 2019.

Despite numerous searches, appeals and a £20,000 reward, there are still no clues about what happened to her and there have been no confirmed sightings of her.

A police spokesman said on Saturday, the day of Leah's birthday: "The force would like to mark this date by reminding the public that this investigation remains open, and we continue to encourage anyone with information to come forward and speak to us. There is still a £20,000 reward available to anyone who is able to provide information that directly leads to Leah being found.

"Please visit a police station, report online or call 101, quoting 43190049929 or ‘Operation Dawlish’, if you can help us find Leah."

The shy teenager left her home in Quantock Crescent in Emerson Valley the morning after Valentine's Day to walk to work in Knowlhill.

The very last confirmed sighting of her was on a CCTV camera, walking through Furzton at approximately 8.15am that morning.

Leah's family remain desperate for information about what happened. Her sister Jade has wished her an emotional happy birthday, but admitted hope is dwindling of finding Leah alive.

Jade said: "Happy birthday to my beautiful sister Leah. Not a day goes by where you don’t occupy my thoughts but today you are in my mind so much already leaving me with a heavy heart.

"People say time is a great healer and I suppose in a sense that is true. You become a master at hiding the hurt and pain that you being missing brings, but I can honestly say that your absence hurts as much today as it did the day I got the call to say you hadn’t made it to work.

"With the same questions running through my head regarding your safety and what could have happened I find hard to see the justice in anything. Extensive police investigations, searches and enquiries but yet we are still stuck at that last imagine of you on CCTV on route to work. How could we have no more answers?"

Jade added: "On your birthday I am filled with sadness. A landmark of another year gone by where you should be with us, your loving family celebrating the beauty of your life. But another year we are separated.

"I can’t bear to be alone today. I need to keep busy for my own sanity. Along with this I pray that you are not alone, I pray that you are happy.

"I try to keep my hope alive, Leah, but it would be impossible not to admit that after all of this time my hope has dwindled."

Tragically, Jade lost her brother Haydon nine months after Leah disappeared. The 24-year-old took his own life because he was so tormented about the lack of progress in finding Leah.

Jade said: "My perfectly happy and normal world flipped upside down in one dreaded year - 2019. There is so much in life that I want to share with you both. So much we are all missing out on going through together.

"We need you home, Leah. At the very least if we cannot have you home then we need to know what has happened. Perhaps you are with the angels in heaven with Haydon. I just wish we knew. I wish the torture of the unknown was over."

She added: "I love you, my baby sister. No length of time will ever change that love. I will always be yours and Haydon's big sister and one day we will meet again and celebrate everything we have missed out on."

If you know anything about what happened to Leah, please call police. Or, if you rpefer to stay 100% anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.