We would very much hope to find Suzy for her family but we have to be realistic

Det Supt Shaun Sawyer

The 25-year-old - whose has family roots in west Wales - vanished after going to show a property to a man called "Mr Kipper" in Fulham, south west London, in 1986.

Miss Lamplugh's body was never recovered, and eventually the family accepted she had been murdered.

Detectives recently questioned convicted killer John Cannan in connection with Miss Lamplugh's death.

Scotland Yard said on Monday that he was no longer being quizzed and had not been charged in connection with the inquiry.

Ms Lamplugh's mother, Pembrokeshire-born Diana Lamplugh, was first told that her daughter could be buried at the abandoned army barracks in December 1999.

Suzy Lamplugh's disappearance has remained a mystery

The information, which came through Mrs Lamplugh's own contacts rather than through detectives, was passed on via a telephone call and a letter.

Mrs Lamplugh, 64, who has worked tirelessly for the Suzy Lamplugh Trust she set up to promote safety and awareness of danger, said at the time the family felt they were the closest yet to finding their daughter.

On Monday, the Lamplugh family issued a statement which read: "We have been waiting a long time for news on exactly what happened.

"It would be a great relief to know the truth, and to be able to move on, although facing the facts is often very hard."

They also praised police for the "excellent work" they had undertaken since the inquiry re-opened earlier this year.

Metropolitan Police detectives have met with West Mercia Police to discuss a number of sites in the Worcestershire area that might have relevance to the inquiry.

Detective Superintendent Shaun Sawyer, of Metropolitan Police, said: "I would once more appeal to Suzy's killer to clear their conscience and tell us the location of her body."

He said that while the latest search was an important element in the inquiry, he stressed detectives were "extremely cautious of any likelihood of any success".

Field search: Police near Norton Barracks

"We would very much hope to find Suzy for her family but we have to be realistic," he added.

Police have questioned Cannan in connection with the crime on previous occasions, but he has repeatedly denied having anything to do with Miss Lamplugh's death.

He is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted in 1989 of murdering a 29-year-old woman.

The army barracks' location ties in with claims made more than a decade ago by Cannan's former girlfriend.

Gilly Paige said that while in a relationship with Cannan he had confessed to the crime and hinted about burying the body in Worcestershire.

Fresh appeal

In May this year the investigation was reopened and an appeal was made on the BBC's Crimewatch programme.

The publicity encouraged new witnesses to come forward.

Diana Lamplugh set up a trust to promote personal safety

Police then appealed for more information about a dark, left-hand drive BMW car that a jogger saw in Fulham at the time of Suzy's disappearance.

The witness said he saw a blonde young lady in the car who looked like she was screaming for help.

The jogger's testimony was initially discounted by police because it did not fit into their timescale of events.

He also said the woman had blonde hair, but pictures distributed of Miss Lamplugh had brown hair.

However Miss Lamplugh had had her hair highlighted a week before she was abducted.

Anyone with information should call the incident room at Belgravia Police Station on 020 7321 925, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.