10 missing people West Midlands Police is asking for help to find this Christmas, including one missing since the 1960s

The force has released the images and descriptions of people who have been missing from as long ago as the 1960s and who come from the Black Country and Birmingham.

It has asked for anyone with any information as to the whereabouts of the following people to get in touch as soon as possible:

1) Maria Aldridge

West Midlands Police said: "Trainee nurse Maria Aldridge was last seen in early 1968 and would be 75-years-old today.

"The 17-year-old was training at Dudley Road Hospital, and the last contact she had with her family was between February and June that year.

"We are keeping an open mind about what happened to Maria - she may have simply left the area and started a new life elsewhere.

"We know a man by the name of Paul or Michael Gough visited Maria's family some time after her disappearance with flowers, but his identity has never been confirmed."

2) Michael Bell

West Midlands Police said: "Michael Bell was last seen in Scotland in May 1983 having been on a camping holiday in the Isle of Skye with a friend.

"During the trip, Michael announced he wanted to go home and left his friend on the island.

"We are confident Michael made it back to the mainland, visiting the towns of Dalwhinnie and Tyndrum.

"The last contact from Michael was a phone call from Tyndrum in which he told his parents he was on his way home and would make for the English border the next day."

3) Stephen Cole

West Midlands Police said: "Stephen, from Pleck in Walsall, was last seen on 26 June 1996 after a camping trip in Betws-Y-Coed in Wales.

"While we believe Stephen did return to Walsall, this has never been fully confirmed, and the 30-year-old has not been heard from since.

"Stephen was last seen wearing a pink polo shirt, blue jeans and tan desert boots.

"He would also usually wear a gold bracelet and ring as well as a watch."

4) Patricia Lashley

West Midlands Police said: "Patricia, also known as Pat or Jade, was living in Hall Street, Dudley when she went missing in September 1998.

"We know Pat had links to Newcastle, London, Wales and Scotland, so it is possible she left the area and lived another life.

"Pat spoke with a Geordie accent and also might have used the surname Bradford, as well as the first names Jade, Vanessa or Tricia and was well known in the Dudley area."

5) Sarjit Kaur Mann

West Midlands Police said: "Sarjit Kaur Mann is another of our longest-running missing person cases, last being seen in France in September 1976.

"Sarjit had been on holiday in France and is thought to have remained on the continent while the people she was with came home.

"The 20-year-old was a mathematics student at Birmingham University, living in the city with her family at the time she went missing.

"When she went missing she was described as being slim build, around 5ft 1ins tall, with long straight black hair and she possibly wore glasses which were silver and hexagonal.

"She is also believed to have worn a stainless-steel multi-coloured pendant, silver bangle and wore size 10-12 clothes."

6) Michael Perkins

West Midlands Police said: "Michael was last seen in the summer of 2002, but not reported missing until October 2003.

"The then 56-year-old, from Stourbridge, would be 76 now, and we are hoping re-issuing this appeal might lead to someone remembering anything about his disappearance.

"Michael was approximately 5ft 6ins tall and wore glasses.

"He had thinning blonde hair and was last seen at his home in Norton, Stourbridge.

"Michael was known to have connections in nearby Belbroughton, as well as in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

"Sadly, no trace of Michael has ever been found, but we are hoping our renewed appeal will help jog people's memories who lived in the area at the time."

7) Ismail Sharif

West Midlands Police said: "Ismail Sharif was last seen in January 2022 in Birmingham, where he as known to sleep rough in the city centre.

"Ismail was widely known across Birmingham, particularly in Handsworth, Winson Green, Ladywood and Edgbaston.

"At the time of his disappearance, Ismail had black curly hair and a beard.

"He also used the names Hassan and Abdigaadir."

8) Charna Singh

West Midlands Police said: "60-year-old Charna Singh was last seen on 26 January 2019 and was known to hang around the Handsworth area, where he would sleep rough.

"On the day Charna went missing, he visited Birmingham City Hospital following an injury, later discharging himself and not being seen since.

"Charna was around 5ft 5ins tall and walked with two walking sticks."

9) Brian Wafer

West Midlands Police said: "Brian Wafer was last seen on 25 June 2013 in the West Park area of Wolverhampton where he lived.

"On the day of his disappearance, he left his home and did not return.

"There were no signs Brian, 66, had been preparing to leave his home before his disappearance, and there has been no trace of him since.

"He was last seen wearing a black denim jacket over a navy blue shirt with a diamond pattern on the front."

10) Frank Whitehurst

West Midlands Police said: "66-year-old Frank Whitehurst was living in Moseley at the time of his disappearance.

"The last time he was seen was 18 October 2010 at his supported accommodation.

"Although he had a home, Frank would often sleep rough and travel around presenting as homeless, including in the London area.

"Frank was 6ft2ins tall and often used other names including Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Salt and Paul White."

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "Officers investigating some of our longest-running missing person cases are releasing the images of people they are still searching for.

"Our Historic Missing Person team scours thousands of hours of CCTV footage and pages of archive material to find missing people, no matter how long ago they were last seen.

"This Christmas, the team wants to hear from anyone who thinks they may know more about the following people.

"Any information can be reported to PC Shaun Reeve of the Long Term Complex Team on 01216267003."