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Potential Breakthrough After Missing People Choir Share Image Of Missing Woman

Potential Breakthrough After Missing People Choir Share Image Of Missing Woman

The choir shared images of missing people on Britain's Got Talent.

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A Britain's Got Talent act may have sparked a breakthrough in a missing person's case, after showing a picture of Natalie Putt - who disappeared in 2003 - during their performance.

On Friday, The Missing People Choir broadcast Natalie's face to the millions of people watching at home, and today detectives have announced they have been searching a cemetery in connection with the case.

Police have begun exhuming four graves in the West Midlands.

Natalie was just 17 when she disappeared after leaving her home in Lower Gornal, Dudley, to go to the shop. She's not been seen since that day in September 2003, and left behind her 11-week-old son.

Natalie Putt. Credit: SWNS

Rebecca Coggins, Natalie's half-sister said: "A picture of Natalie was shown on Britain's Got Talent last Friday during the Missing People Choir's performance and it seems to have sparked interest in her case again.

"She is the missing piece from her family - not a day goes by when I do not think and miss her. She was a special girl with her whole life ahead of her.

"Someone knows something, people do not just disappear - all we need is a little chink and the police will do the rest."

Rebecca also posted a thank you to the choir on Facebook after their performance. She wrote: "Thank you BGT Missing Natalie Putt still sad to see you on there but I'm so grateful they featured you tonight."

The police investigation into Natalie's disappearance has included searches underwater and over local farmland, but so far, no clues have been found to explain what happened to her.


Credit: SWNS

Superintendent Tom Chisholm said: "We are interested in four graves. New intelligence and surveys of the area have led us here. This is now being treated as a murder investigation, as years have gone on with no evidence of life.

"We believe we will be here for a couple of days looking at the four sites. This is a distressing time for the family."

When asked whether the Missing People Choir was responsible for pulling in the fresh lead, he said: "It is fortuitous, I'm aware it was on there. It did the same thing we are trying to do here today, raise awareness and help us appeal for fresh information. We want people to come forward."

Detective Inspector Ian Iliffe, from the cold case review team, said: "All cases are periodically reviewed and the disappearance of Natalie has led us to believe that we are looking at a murder enquiry.

Credit: SWNS

"We have had no positive sightings of Natalie in all these years and there has never been any financial activity connected to her bank accounts or any access to health services across the country, which points to the fact that she is no longer alive.

"Following a review of the information we have received, we have been granted permission to exhume a number of graves in Ruiton Cemetery off Duke Street in Upper Gornal.

"We also believe that at least two people know what has led us to this site and they may have further information which could assist our search. We would very much like to hear from them."

The Missing People Choir is made up of singers with family members who have vanished, and raises funds and awareness for the Missing People charity.

Featured Image Credit: ITV/Britain's Got Talent

Topics: Britain's Got Talent