MOTOR giant Ford has joined the hunt for missing Hamble teenager Dan Nolan, who disappeared after a late-night fishing trip with pals on New Year's Day.

Despite extensive local searches and the launch of a £50,000 reward for information leading to the discovery of the King Edward VI schoolboy's whereabouts, the 15-year-old has not been seen since 11.30pm on the first night of the year.

But the search is now set to go nationwide thanks to a huge Ford truck which will carry 6ft by 4ft photos of Dan on both sides of the trailer along with the National Missing Persons Helpline number 0500 700 700.

Ten 40ft Ford trucks, which transport car components to Ford plants around Britain, will carry photos of different missing people - including Dan and Surrey teenager Amanda "Milly" Dowler - and it is hoped that anyone who sees the trailers and recognises the missing person featured will contact the free confidential helpline.

The move has delighted Dan's mum, 42-year-old Mrs Pauline Nolan. She said: "This is fantastic. Everyone knows Dan's face locally but we have been pushing to get some national coverage."

Three months after the disappearance of her son, Mrs Nolan is still convinced that Dan did not fall into the river and says she feels it is far more likely he was abducted.

"You can never draw a final line under the river, but I now feel we should have been looking a lot further afield initially rather than just making the assumption that he fell into the water."

Mrs Nolan will be at today's launch of Ford's brand new missing persons' venture at the company's giant Dagenham plant.

Ford spokeswoman Lydia Aydon said Dan had been included at the request of the National Missing Persons Helpline and his billboard-style picture would be on the side of the truck "for as long as it takes."

Ford's transport manager Frank Coyne said: "Ford will publicise individual cases and hopefully help to reunite missing people with their families."

NMPH spokeswoman Sophie Woodforde said: "Around 210,000 people are reported missing every year and Ford's help in the search for some of those people is invaluable.

"Without the support of organisations like Ford we would not be able to maintain our impressive record of resolving 70 per cent of all the cases registered with us."