The father of missing Katrice Lee is calling for an independent inquiry on the 43rd anniversary of her disappearance.

Richard Lee, 75, from Hartlepool says officials in the Royal Military Police who made mistakes during the search for Katrice from the beginning should be held to account.

He spoke to the Mail shortly after returning from an emotional trip to the former Army NAAFI supermarket in Paderborn, Germany, where Katrice vanished on her second birthday on November 28, 1981.

It was for a major new exhibition created by photographer Stu McKenzie, whose family were stationed on the Army base at the time.

Richard Lee at home in Hartlepool wearing a T-shirt displaying a photograph of his missing daughter Katrice. Picture by FRANK REID

placeholder image — Richard Lee at home in Hartlepool wearing a T-shirt displaying a photograph of his missing daughter Katrice. Picture by FRANK REID

It received a great response from the public with some coming forward with information and made the news both at home and in Germany.

Richard, who attended with his eldest daughter Natasha, said it was “heart wrenching”, adding: “When you walked the emotion just hit you.

"It brought back a lot of memories.”

But he was saddened nobody from the Royal Military Police or the military attaché attended.

The exhibition Missing Katrice in Paderborn by Stu McKenzie.

Richard, a retired sergeant major, says it is the family and supporters who are keeping the case in the public eye.

"As far as they're concerned it's a cold case, end of,” he said. “They don't want anything more to do with it."

He added: "Anybody else that’s higher status would get a public inquiry. Because I’m a non-professional retired soldier why should I be treated any differently.?

“I served 34 years Queen and country, seven times in Northern Ireland.”

Katrice vanished in the blink of an eye on her second birthday on November 28, 1981, in Paderborn, Germany.

The possibility Katrice had been snatched was not investigated at first and instead officials worked on the theory that she had fallen into a nearby river and drowned.

Staff at the supermarket were not interviewed for six weeks and no border alerts were issued.

Richard added: "I never thought at the age of 75 I would still be fighting, not only for my daughter, but for justice for what wasn't done.

"More could have been done and it wasn’t done. They failed my daughter and it’s about time they took the facts on the chin, admit their failings and give me the public inquiry that we richly deserve as a family to get answers.”

Families and friends of premature Hartlepool children raise hundreds for charity...

The search for Katrice was downgraded to reactive rather than active status in 2020.

An MOD Spokesperson this week said: "Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Katrice Lee's family. If anyone has any new information relating to the disappearance of Katrice, we would ask that they contact us on 0800 616 888.

“The Defence Serious Crime Unit became operational on 5th December 2022 and assumed primacy of the investigation into the disappearance of Katrice Lee.

"It would be inappropriate to comment on the investigations made by the Royal Military Police and the German police between 1981 and 2022.”

A new song about Katrice written by Paderborn resident Nadja Eckenbach is released today on iTunes and Spotify.

A Song For Katrice features moving lyrics about 43 summers and winters having passed without information and includes a hope that maybe she will hear it.

Richard said: “I think it’s brilliant. I was blown away when I heard it.”