Yorkshire community searching for teenager two years after dissapearance

A community in West Yorkshire are still searching for a teenager who went missing two years ago and they refuse to give up hope.
By Nathan Hyde
Published 19th Jan 2022, 06:00 BST
Missing teenager Mateusz Lugowski has not been seen for two yearsMissing teenager Mateusz Lugowski has not been seen for two years
Missing teenager Mateusz Lugowski has not been seen for two years

Mateusz Lugowski was last seen behind the Evans Halshaw garage, next to Chantry Bridge, in Wakefield at around 3.20pm on Sunday, January 19.

West Yorkshire Police deployed specialist search teams, dogs, drones and divers to conduct a thorough search for the schoolboy, who was 16 when he disappeared, but they were unable to track him down.

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Jamie Gallivan, whose son was friends with Mateusz, has been helping his family search and appeal for information.

Jamie Gallivan has been working with a group of volunteers to put up a number of posters, which appeal for information about the missing teenagerJamie Gallivan has been working with a group of volunteers to put up a number of posters, which appeal for information about the missing teenager
Jamie Gallivan has been working with a group of volunteers to put up a number of posters, which appeal for information about the missing teenager

He has been working with a group of volunteers to put up a number of posters, which appeal for information about the missing teenager, around Wakefield ahead of the second anniversary of the disappearance.

He also runs the Come home Mateusz Lugowski Facebook page which has more than 5,000 members, with Tanya Sharif. The page is used to gather information which could assist the police investigation.

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“My aim is to make sure he’s not forgotten,” said Mr Gallivan. “I do believe he’s alive - I’m quite certain.

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“If anyone out there knows something, please come forward and put his family at rest.

“The mystery behind all this is that there's not ever been a clue.

“When other people go missing, they usually get spotted in another town a few weeks later on a CCTV camera or somebody comes forward. We’ve never had this with Mateusz - nothing whatsoever.”

Mateusz has been described as a slim boy, who is around 5ft 2ins, with short brown hair, and was last seen wearing a blue and black hooded jacket, grey tracksuit bottoms with thick blue stripe, blue trainers with white stripes and a blue rucksack.

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CCTV footage released by police shows he travelled on the 117 bus to Wakefield city centre, shortly before 3pm on the day he disappeared.

Detective chief inspector Phil Jackson said: “We understand that this anniversary will be a significant milestone for Mateusz’s loved ones, who we have supported throughout our investigation.

“We have conducted extensive enquiries over the past two years to try and find Mateusz and we thank the community for their help and support during this time.

“I would stress again that we are not looking for anyone else in connection with Mateusz’s disappearance, but we will continue to act on any information given to us as we try and get answers for his family and friends.”

Anyone who has seen Mateusz Lugowski or can assist the police investigation should phone police on 101.