Archive - Thursday, 17 January 2002


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Family's anguish

A DISTRAUGHT Barry family are pleading with locals to help them find their missing teenage son.

The parents of 17-year-old Owain Rhys Walters have not seen their son since he left their Romilly Road home over a week ago on Wednesday, January 9.

And although he did attend lectures at Barry College earlier in the morning, he now seems to have disappeared.

Anxious parents John Walters, 44, and his wife, Julie, 43, say they are 'out of their minds with worry' and just want Owain to come home.

His sister Lauren, 21, told the News: "Owain is quiet. His friends don't hang around the streets, but go to each other's houses. He's not the type to run away. He's never done it before, and we're getting really worried about him."

Lauren admits that Owain and his family sometimes disagree, as all families do, but he has never stayed away from home before.

She said: "My sister Eleri, 19, and Owain go to college together, so they're very close. She has a flat in Dyfnallt Road, and he often goes there if he's in a mood. She'll call us to say he's safe, and he stays for a few hours."

The family are also concerned that Owain, who does not have a bank account, has no money on him. And as nothing is missing from his room, he is still wearing the clothes he left the house in.

Lauren said: "My parents can't concentrate. We're all wandering around sometimes at three or four o'clock in the morning. We've printed posters and put them in bus stops, train stations and at college. We've had one confirmed sighting of him in Broad Street on Friday, January 11, but that's it.

He added: "My mum and dad are always out looking for him, and there's always someone in the house should he call. But he's been gone for over a week now, and we're getting frantic.

"My mum wants him to know that no matter what's happened, no matter what the circumstances, we'll work things out.

"We just want him to come home."

n Owain is white, 5'11" tall, of slim build, clean shaven with brown eyes and short light brown hair.

He was wearing a light green Nike tracksuit and a brown Helly Hanson padded jacket.

He could either be wearing a black baseball cap or a beige bobble-hat. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Owain Walters, contact Barry police station via the switchboard on 029 2022 2111.