Detectives investigating the murder of a man whose remains were found buried in a Sutton field more than 50 years after he went missing have made an appeal for information on Crimewatch Live.
Alfred Swinscoe, aged 54 at the time, was last seen drinking at the Miners Arms in Pinxton in early 1967 and was then never seen again.
His remains were found in Coxmoor Lane in Sutton-in-Ashfield this April when digging work was being carried out on farmland.
Alfred worked at Langton Colliery from the age of 14 and was last seen at work on January 20, 1967.
He was ‘a cutter’ known for operating a machine that cut large chunks of coal out of the coal face for others to then break down.
He had the nickname of ‘Sparrow’ and was known as the “Champion Pigeon Man of Pinxton” due to his love of pigeon racing.
Four of his six children are still alive and he has a number of grandchildren.
Detectives are continuing to build up a picture of Alfred’s life, his past acquaintances, and a chronological order of what happened the night he went missing.
It is believed that Alfred was drinking with his two sons and friends on the night of his disappearance.
He was last seen at around 10.30pm when he gave his son some money to buy a round and then left to use the outside toilet. He never returned.
Detectives believe Alfred was killed and then buried in farmland around four to 6ft deep.
There were a number of traumatic injuries found on his skeletal remains, which are undergoing further analysis.
Further tests are also being carried out to determine how he was killed.
On today’s Crimewatch Live, Alfred’s family made a plea for answers as a dramatic reconstruction shows Alfred’s last known movements.
Detectives also appeared on the programme to reveal how specialist scientists were used to identify Alfred’s remains and the latest in the hunt for whoever killed him.
Detective Inspector Mel Crutchley
Detective Inspector Mel Crutchley, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are determined to find out what happened to Alfred and provide his family with the closure they desperately need.
“His killer left them with decades of unanswered questions about what happened to their loved one.
“We have been following several lines of inquiry since identifying the human remains as Alfred Swinscoe but we really need the public’s help due to the amount of time that has passed since the murder and his body being found.
“We know that his killer or killers would have driven to the Coxmoor Lane site by vehicle. This is significant as in 1967 not many people had access to a car in the Pinxton community.
“We have spoken to a number of people who knew Alfred to build up a picture of his life before he died.
“However, after the colliery closed, we know many people will have left Pinxton and moved to other parts of the country and even overseas.
“These are the people we need to speak to who may have the vital information we need.
“If you lived in Pinxton around the time of Alfred going missing on January 20, 1967, we need to hear from you.
“Whatever information you have, no matter how small about Alfred’s disappearance, please get in touch with us immediately. “
Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room by clicking the online link below https://mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM22E48-PO1 or by calling 101 and quoting Operation Hiatus or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The Crimewatch programme can be viewed on the BBC iplayer
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