Channel 5 series Vanished to feature case of missing Hartlepool toddler Katrice Lee

Vanished on Channel 5 will focus on the case of Katrice Lee who disappeared on November 28, 1981, while shopping with her family at a forces supermarket in Paderborn, part of what was then West Germany, on her second birthday.

Her father Richard Lee, who was serving in the Army at the time of her disappearance, lives in Hartlepool.

He was not interviewed as part of the programme but Katrice’s sister Natasha, who lives in Hampshire, and mother Sharon were.

Richard said: “I understand it will not be a finger pointing exercise. This is to get the story out there.

"It’s the story of Katrice, a little girl who in our eyes was taken and is living another life.

"It keeps people aware that my daughter’s still missing.”

Army officials and those who took part in the investigation are also due to be featured in the episode, the first in a new series of the programme.

Meanwhile, a veteran friend from Richard’s unit has produced a car sticker featuring Katrice’s picture as a toddler to help raise awareness of the case.

Richard said they have spread as far as Australia and Germany.

In recent years he has met a number of high profile politicians including Boris Johnson when he was Prime Minister to try to raise the profile of all missing people and push for a public inquiry into Katrice’s case.

Vanished goes out on Channel 5 on Wednesday, November 1, at 8pm.