Russell Lowbridge was only four years old when his grandfather, Alfred Swinscoe, went missing in early 1967 after drinking at the Pinxton Miners Arms in Derbyshire. He vanished in unusual and mysterious circumstances, leaving his family wondering what happened to him.
It was not until now, 56 years on from Alfred's disappearance, that his body was finally found. The identity of the human remains discovered in a "grave" in Coxmoor Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, on Wednesday, April 26, was finally confirmed when grandson Mr Lowbridge contacted the police following the launching of a murder investigation and a media appeal for information.
But it was for a number of reasons Mr Lowbridge called the police about the unidentified body. He read out a heartfelt statement on behalf of Mr Swincoe's family - including the ones who "are no longer with us and never got to hear the news that you have heard today".
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Joined by Alfred's daughter Julie Swinscoe, he told a press conference on Thursday, June 8: "Following a media appeal about human remains found in Coxmoor Road in Sutton-in-Ashfield I felt compelled to contact Nottinghamshire Police for a number of reasons.
"Number one – the height of the unidentified remains – 5ft 5ins – was the same height as my late grandfather. Number two – the distinctive socks found with his remains brought back memories from my childhood and I had a distinct feeling I had seen them somewhere before.
"Number three – my grandfather went missing in 1967 and the site is not too far from where he went drinking that night. We never thought that the hunch I had would ever come true when we underwent DNA testing."
The outcome has "filled" the family with "mixed emotions" as Mr Lowbridge said: "Relief that we can finally put my grandfather to rest but incredible pain and sadness to uncover what had happened to him. He was murdered and then buried so no one could ever find him.
"His disappearance tormented my Uncle Gary his whole life. He went to his grave never knowing what happened to his dad. He just remembers his dad giving him a ten bob note in the Pinxton Miners Arms that night - telling him to get a round and then never, ever seeing him again.
"It completely broke him, never knowing what happened to his dad. It has also broken my mum, Julie Swinscoe, who sits here beside me. She was only 25 at the time her dad was reported missing.
"She is now 82 and does not want to leave this earth never knowing why her dad was taken away from her so brutally. Whoever did this robbed generations of a grandfather and great grandfather and left six children without a father.
"Two of those children are no longer here and never got this chance. This has been a mystery that has haunted our family for decades. It never goes away - and it never provides answers."
Alfred was a father-of-six and a miner, who worked at Langton Colliery from the age of 14 and was last seen at work on January 20, 1967. He was a 'cutter’, known for operating a machine that cut large chunks of coal out of the coal face for others to then break down.
He had the nickname of ‘Sparrow’ and was known as the “Champion Pigeon Man of Pinxton” due to his love of pigeon racing. Four of his six children are still alive and he has a number of grandchildren.
Mr Lowbridge thanked Nottinghamshire Police and the media for their help. He shared his pain as a grieving grandson, whose knowledge about his grandfather is "second hand".
He added: "Everything I know about my grandfather is second-hand because that opportunity was never given to me because someone took that away."
Family have described him as a hard-working and respected man, born and bred in Pinxton, who had worked for Langton Colliery since he was 14 years old. Mr Lowbridge added: "They really respected him at the colliery because he was good at his job and liked to socialise in the pub after work.
"I am told everyone knew who he was in Pinxton. He had the nickname of ‘Sparrow’ and was known as the “Champion Pigeon Man of Pinxton” due to his love of pigeon racing.
"It was a popular hobby in the 1960s and a hobby he enjoyed with his son Gary. While we might be able to give my grandfather the proper funeral he deserves we still don’t have the answers we desperately need.
"We hope that someone out there can help change that. We urge anyone with information, no matter how small, to contact Nottinghamshire Police as soon as possible. Please help us understand what happened."
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