Father of missing Skipton man Rory Johnson Hatfield who disappeared on York night out says son was not suffering mental health problems at the time

The 29-year-old from Skipton vanished "into thin air" after a night out with friends in York on November 19, 2015, on a night when thousands had packed into the city for its Christmas lights switch-on.

In his last known movements, Mr Johnson Hatfield was seen on CCTV walking down Tower Street, over Skeldergate Bridge and then seen running down Skeldergate between 12.30am and 12.40am in the early hours of November 20.

He was then captured again on camera on a balcony overhanging the River Ouse in the City Mills building - a sheltered accommodation block for the elderly - after scaling a wall to get onto the site.

After being seen strolling past the camera on the balcony, he has not been seen or heard from and Rory's family have spent five years agonising over the injustice of not knowing where he is or whether he is alive or dead.

His father, Doug Hatfield, continues to seek answers and maintains that he had been in good spirits at the time of his disappearance.

The two had been very close, after several years working together to run the family business, Brodie's restaurant in Skipton, and Mr Hatfield remains certain that he would have known if his son had been experiencing mental health issues.

"Rory was always full of life and always had a positive attitude towards day-to-day life.

"He was out in his favourite city and was in good spirits that evening.

"If the idea is out there that he took his own life, he just wasn't that kind of guy," said Mr Hatfield, 63.

"I would love to be able to point to something going on in Rory's life at that time which would explain it. This is why it is so elusive and disturbing to me."

The CCTV of Rory's last-seen movements on the balcony, shortly before 1am that night, do not show anything to suggest he entered the water and Mr Hatfield has added that he could have safely gotten down at the other end which was out of the CCTV's shot.

North Yorkshire Police scoured the River Ouse - the level of which was high on the night Rory disappeared - several times over the subsequent weeks and found nothing.

Mr Hatfield has said he is suspicious of third party involvement in the case, as Rory was seen running down Skeldergate as though he were being chased. Detectives have also looked into this possibility.

"We re-write the ending to this story every day, and each time there is a different outcome," he continued.

"In some ways, it feels like an eternity since he disappeared and in others it feels like just five minutes."

Rory was wearing a round-neck dark coloured top, blue jeans and white and navy trainers. He is described as white, 5ft 11in tall, slim build, with short blond hair.

He has two brothers and two sisters who have had to mark five Christmases and several birthdays without him, or an explanation for the huge gap his disappearance has left.

"We just miss him so much and want him home," said Mr Hatfield.

"He is out there, one way or another. Even though it is five years, it is still very raw.

"The pain doesn't get any better or easier with time. At times, it can be very overwhelming. It's always there, it's always a cloud looming over your day that never leaves.

"We just want answers, one way or another."

Anybody who was in York on the night of the Christmas lights switch-on on November 19, 2015, has been urged to cast their memories back, and any information big or small which could help the ongoing investigation in Mr Johnson Hatfield's disappearance should get in touch with North Yorkshire Police or with Crimestoppers anonymously, if preferred.

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