LUKE Durbin's anxious mother is today preparing to mark the first anniversary of the 20-year-old's disappearance.In May it will be 12-months since Nicki Durbin's only son vanished without a trace and the anniversary is filling her with dread.

LUKE Durbin's anxious mother is today preparing to mark the first anniversary of the 20-year-old's disappearance.

In May it will be 12-months since Nicki Durbin's only son vanished without a trace and the anniversary is filling her with dread.

Ms Durbin, of Coronation Avenue, Hollesley has spent months tirelessly campaigning to raise awareness of her son's disappearance and has appeared on documentaries, in national newspapers and magazines.

Today, she is focusing her efforts on organising an event to mark the anniversary and is hoping to renew media interest in his case.

It comes as police probe a new lead in London in their hunt for Luke.

As revealed in Tuesday's Evening Star, a former classmate of the 20-year-old believes they saw him near Aldwych Theatre in London on March 3.

Ms Durbin said: “The anniversary is not something I wish to be marking. However, I feel if I let it go unmarked Luke really will become old news.

“Hopefully with something as positive as this (possible sighting) maybe we will be marking Luke's homecoming which would be amazing.”

The event will be held on May 13 at the Riverside Theatre in Woodbridge and is aimed at highlighting Luke's disappearance as well as the plight of other families with missing relatives.

A silent auction will be held to raise money for the National Missing Persons Helpline.

The event will be compered by former Beirut hostage John McCarthy, who has a home in Woodbridge.

Ms Durbin hopes with his presence she will be able to renew public interest in her son's disappearance.

She added: “We are hoping to get as many celebrities involved as possible and are asking them to write 50 words to put in the programme in the hope of attracting the press.”

Luke was last seen about 4am on May 12 when he was spotted on CCTV in the Buttermarket area of Ipswich.

Anyone with information about Luke's whereabouts should call Suffolk police on 01473 613500 or the National Missing Persons Helpline on 0500 700700

For more information about Luke's disappearance visit www.findluke.com .

Do you have a message for Luke or his family? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.