SOME of them have waited more than 40 years in the agonising but so far forlorn hope that their loved one’s murder or disappearance will be solved.

But now Norfolk police are hoping they can bring closure to the pain for some of those families with the launch of a new cold cases section on the force’s website.

Detectives are using the internet as atool to prompt fresh information which could help solve complex murder, missing people and sexual assault investigations- including that of Daniel Entwistle, the seven-year-old who disappeared from near his home in Copperfield Avenue, Great Yarmouth in 2003.

Some of the 14 cases so far featured on the website stretch back decades but officers hope that the launch of the cold case section might just reach a new audience who could yet hold vital clues.

The launch of the new section of the website, which will see each investigation highlighted on Norfolk police’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, has been supported by the families of those victims whose cases have not yet been solved.

Tony Deacon, senior investigator in the cold case team at Norfolk police, said: “We’ve talked to a lot of families of these victims who are no longer with us and they are very supportive of what we’re trying to achieve.

“They have told us this is brilliant and that they are so pleased we’re doing this. We’re not trying to unfairly raise their hopes, but what we’re doing is making sure the public know that these cases are not closed and that there’s now a permanent fixture for people to go to using social media.”

Another case yet to be solved is the murder of 24-year-old Peter Andrew Miller, who was murdered at his home in Camden Place, Yarmouth.

Mr Deacon said: “What we need to get across is that for the families there’s never a day that they don’t think about them and hopefully there will be something that comes along to give them closure.

“My job is to look at these cold cases with the Major Investigation Team (MIT) and make sure that anything new that comes in we look at, research and, if we can, give new impetus to the inquiry which could lead to some kind of outcome or closure.”

The oldest cases the cold case team are looking to solve date back to 1969 and include Norfolk girl April Fabb, reported missing on Tuesday, April 8, when her mother realised she never reached her sister’s house in Roughton.

If you have any information about any of the cold cases, call Norfolk police on 0845 456 4567 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

To view the cold cases, log on to the website www.norfolk.police.uk/newsevents/coldcases.aspx