Opinion

Hopes for breakthrough in Arlene Arkinson case

The family and friends of the Co Tyrone schoolgirl Arlene Arkinson have endured a prolonged nightmare since she went missing after a school disco in 1994.

Convicted child killer Robert Howard was the main suspect over 14-year-old Arlene's disappearance, but he died in prison in England last year without making any admissions.

Many searches have been carried out for Arlene over the years without finding any trace of her and police yesterday brought in a specialist team to examine a new site around a mile from where she was last seen alive.

There will be widespread hopes that a breakthrough can finally be made in the long running and profoundly disturbing case.