Family reeling after brother vanished 12 months ago on leaving house party
The family of missing man Daniel Hives say they feel as though they are stuck in a never-ending movie and canot "press stop" a year on from their loved one's disappearance.
Robbie Hives, working at a funfair ticket booth, was surrounded by joy and laughter until a text message on December 15, 2022, turned his world upside down - his brother Daniel was missing. "Daniel was always very outgoing", Robbie recalls. "He was very independent and liked to do things by himself. We're all like that - we strive to be our own individuals and don't ask for help unless we are majorly stuck, so at first I was a bit skeptical." Daniel, the eldest of seven siblings, had always been a trailblazer. After growing up in Coventry and Norfolk, he decided to move to Preston about ten years ago.
Daniel has been missing for over a year now, with brother Robbie recalling how the family feels (James Maloney/Lancs Live)He maintained contact with his family, but there would often be several weeks between calls or chats. "As long as we knew we were safe, and the kind of area we were in, we were okay", says Robbie. "About four, five, six times a year we would have a proper catch up but the rest of the time it was just a quick text. As far as we were concerned he was happy, safe and living his life," said Robbie. Daniel, a dad-of-one, made a home for himself in Preston, surrounded by close friends. But when his girlfriend contacted Robbie to say he hadn't been seen for some time, Robbie says his world crashed.
"I was at work, helping out on the funfair. It was two extremes, quickly from one to the other. It was very difficult to process - I still haven't processed it because we don't know where he is. It feels like I am in a movie and we can never press stop. At first I thought, 'he'd been drinking. He's probably just fallen asleep somewhere and he will be back in contact'. But when a week passed, and two weeks passed, I started to get really worried. That wasn't Dan at all. He would always make sure someone knew he was safe."
Daniel was last seen at a flat in Sidings Close, Lancaster, where he attended a house party to watch the football. At some point, Daniel left the flat and was followed by two other people from the party. "I think he has got the wrong end of the stick and thought he was in some kind of danger", Robbie said. "He took off running by the bank of the River Lune." Daniel vanished without a trace. Despite efforts by Lancashire Police, including circulating a missing person report and scouring CCTV footage, no clues were found.
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After 11 days, police divers braved the icy waters of the Lune river for an underwater search, but it also turned up empty. Private underwater search companies, including Beneath The Surface, were brought in by Robbie, but they too found nothing. Robbie expressed his heartbreak, saying: "I'm skeptical that he has gone in the river - they have searched as much as they can. But I am also skeptical that he could have run away to start a new life. When he left for Preston, he wasn't in touch straight away, but within a couple of weeks he had contacted us to let us know he was safe."
For a year now, Daniel's loved ones have tirelessly searched for any information about his whereabouts. They've walked the Millenium Bridge in Lancaster and plastered posters of Daniel's face around Preston and Lancaster, hoping to jog someone's memory. On December 9, an event will be held at the Beam and Brycg pub in Bamber Bridge to mark the anniversary of Daniel's disappearance. The event, featuring singers, dancers and games, aims to raise funds for the search team and awareness about Daniel's case.
Robbie described Daniel, saying: "Daniel has really distinctive features. He has a large tattoo on his neck, which says 'Shannon' and he has a pixie ear." Daniel is 6ft tall, slim build and had short brown hair at the time of his disappearance. He was wearing a navy Hugo Boss tracksuit when he ran from the party in Lancaster. Robbie added: "There have been lots of rumours but we don't have any concrete evidence to support any of them", and "Daniel was really settled up in Lancashire. He had so many friends and a really strong support network. It has been a shock to see the extent of his support network up there, but it's lovely to know he's loved and cared about."
Robbie expressed his confusion and frustration, saying: "I find it so hard to process what has happened. We are no further forward than we were three or four months after he disappeared. It is one of the most surreal experiences anyone can go through." He pleaded for answers, stating: "We just need answers. He means so much to us all."
If you have any information about Daniel, you can call 101 or email [email protected] quoting log 0250 of December 12, 2022. A Facebook page, 'Join the search to find Daniel Hives', has more than 2,700 members. The campaign can be contacted on [email protected].
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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