A TEAM of police officers will be drafted into Hamble on New Year's Day in a bid to find new clues to the mystery disappearance of Daniel Nolan.

This latest move will come on the first anniversary of the popular teenager's disappearance from his home village.

The 15-year-old was reported missing by his parents on the morning of January 2 after he failed to return following a late-night fishing trip with his pals.

Over the past year Dan's parents, Pauline and Greg, and their family and friends have conducted an exhaustive publicity campaign raising the profile of their son's disappearance.

Police have continued to follow up new intelligence that comes into the inquiry room.

On the evening of January 1 a team of officers from Hedge End and Eastleigh police stations will be visiting Hamble High Street and pontoon area to speak to residents in the hope of gleaning some fresh information.

Det Supt Andy Stewart, who is leading the inquiry, said: "We have established the circumstances leading up to the time he went missing.

"But we continue to search for witnesses or anybody who has information about Dan's disappearance but has not spoken to us yet."

The circumstances surrounding the disappearance that have been established by the inquiry team are:

On January 1, 2002 Dan and three friends went out late at night to go fishing.

The four of them stood on the pontoon for some time and three of them, Dan included, consumed a large amount of vodka.

At around 11pm Dan and one of the other boys walked up to the local Alldays store but found it closed. Dan became separated from his friend when they met up with some other boys at the nearby bus shelter.

His friend went back to the pontoon and the boys there then decided to head home.

At around 11.45 pm the boys met Dan outside The Victory pub in the High Street and he told them he was going back to the pontoon to collect his fishing gear and would follow them home. This was the last anyone saw of him.

In the early hours of January 2 Dan's mum went to the pontoon and found his abandoned fishing gear and called the police.

Det Supt Stewart said: "In spite of repeated searches by officers, sniffer dog and teams of Navy and police divers, extensive interviewing of witnesses and local and national publicity we have unfortunately found no trace of Daniel.

"We have found no evidence of abduction and, sadly, the most probable explanation is that he slipped and fell into the water."

But he added: "Our inquiries continue and we urge anyone who was in Hamble High Street or the area of the pontoon during the evening of January 1, 2002 to please get in touch and help us and Dan's family bring an end to this tragic mystery."

Mrs Nolan, who has never given up hope of finding her son, has welcomed this latest move.

She said: "There could just be someone who remembers something from last year. Everything has got to be followed up and we just hope and pray that we can get a breakthrough."

Dan, 5ft 6in with dark brown hair, was last seen wearing a red half-zip fleece with the word "Laser" written down one arm under a beige Henri Lloyd jacket with grey epaulettes.

He was also wearing grey DC trainers, navy blue cotton trousers with large patch pockets and a grey flecked woollen hat with the word "O'Neill" on it. He also had with him a blue Draper fisherman's elasticised lamp.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Hedge End Police Station on 0845 045 4545 or the free Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.