Marie Veronica Reynolds has been missing since August 2002

Marie Veronica Reynolds, 70, from Malpas, Newport, disappeared in August 2002 but police have received few leads, despite several appeals for information.

Gwent Police have now begun digging up a field which backs on to Ms Reynolds' house after it emerged that large pits had been dug by a water company carrying out drainage work at the time of her disappearance.

We are going back over the work that Wessex Water did, just in case Inspector Paul Griffiths, Gwent Police

A spokesman for Gwent Police said on Wednesday: "Despite appeals in the local media and interviews with Ms Reynolds' friends and relatives, we have not found her.

"Officers have been informed that Wessex Water carried out work there (last summer) and a number of large pits were dug.

"It's possible that Ms Reynolds could have fallen into one of these pits and the field is being excavated."

Police added that Ms Reynolds was active for her age and could have accidentally fallen into the workings while out walking.

Inspector Paul Griffiths, of Gwent Police, said: "We are going back over the work that Wessex Water did, just in case.

Police are digging at a canal bank

"The time they were doing the work was when she was reported missing and maybe any evidence or clues to where she had gone missing can be found."

The force is digging up an area between Bettws Lane and Pentre Lane and say the work is expected to go on for several days.

Ms Reynolds is described as bespectacled, slim, 5ft 5ins-tall with grey hair. She is said to be a keen traveller and there were initially sightings of her reported from around Wales.

Worry

But police were forced to issue a second appeal for information in February after she still failed to turn up.

Her nephew Michael Hunt of Rhiwbina, Cardiff, said at the time the family had been worried about her.

"Veronica had been depressed but we thought she was feeling brighter shortly before she disappeared," he said.

"She was a home lover, a caring, kind person, always thinking of others and we feel she would never have gone away without telling us.

"All this adds up to us being even more worried over what might have occurred."