Missing man case reopened after witness claims to have seen a grave

Bus conductor Derek Saville, 25, disappeared after leaving his girlfriend's home in December 1954.

Police never found the body but now believe Derek was murdered after a witness came forward to give evidence against his dead father.

Fifty years on, police have revealed that a witness claims he saw his father and five accomplices - digging a makeshift grave when he was just seven years old.

Detective Inspector David Llewellin (corr), from Hereford CID, now has a number of key suspects, all now in their 70s and 80s, thanks to the 'boy', whose father died last year.

The suspected burial site in Hereford, Herefordshire, is now cordoned off and police plan to start digging on Monday.

Det Insp David Llewellin said: "What we are working with now is credible and tested evidence that suggests a site where Derek Saville's body may be.

"The dig is being done on the strength of that."

Police were informed of Derek's disappearance when he failed to turn up to work on December 7, 1954.

He was last seen by his girlfriend after a late night drink at her home in Hereford but never arrived at work the next day.

Det Ins David Llewellin said: "The disappearance of Derek Saville was one of the highest profile inquiries of its time and remains an unsolved crime to this day.

"At the time of the original investigation there was much speculation that Mr Saville had been threatened and intimidated by another man on the day of his disappearance and that this man may have been in some way involved in his death.

"But all of this remains speculation." The case remained unsolved until the key witness walked into a police station in Hereford claiming he knew where the man was buried.

The witness, who now lives in Perth, Australia, had been on holiday in the UK when he decided to tell police about the horrific scene he had witnessed when he was a child.

Police set up Operation Panda on the strength of the evidence and drafted in the help of the former police officers who had originally worked on the case.

Det Ins David Llewellin said: "No case files survive from the 1950s but members of the Operation Panda inquiry have been able to talk to three surviving Herefordshire Constabulary detectives who were key to the original investigation.

"It is important that we examine any new evidence that could lead to the location of his body, as well as continuing to determine if there is any new evidence which could provide answers about how and why he disappeared."

After a full investigation police are now certain they know the location of Derek's body.

Experts examining the site in Canon Pynon in Hereford, Herefordshire, say the ground hasn't been disturbed since the 1950's when pipes had been laid.

Officers have also revealed they have a number of suspects despite the father of the witness dying earlier this year.

If the dig reveals a body, the investigation will be passed to the Crown Prosecution Service to see if any charges can be brought against the suspects.

News Editor www.dailymail.co.uktectives who played a role in the inquiry.

Officers have also trawled through historical archives and contemporary press reports to build up a profile of what went on in December 1954.

Mr Llewellin said: "At the time of the original investigation there was much speculation that Mr Saville had been threatened and intimidated by another man on the day of his disappearance and that this man may have been in some way involved in his death.

"All of this remains speculation, but what we are working with right now is credible and tested evidence that suggests a site where Derek Saville's body may be. The dig is being carried out on the strength of that."

Extensive survey work has identified a viable burial spot at a field in Canon Pyon, and on Monday search specialists, geographic profilers and forensic archaeologists will begin the hunt for Mr Saville's body.