MORE than seven years after his mystery disappearance, a new bid is being launched to find a missing Poole youngster.

Andrew Smith was just 18 when he was last seen on December 11 1995.

His school bag and bike were found hidden in bushes near Old Harry Rocks, Swanage, on Boxing Day.

The teenager, whose hobbies included football and watching speedway, was studying for his A-levels at the time he went missing. He had worked as a check-out supervisor at Tesco supermarket in Branksome.

Despite numerous appeals from his distraught family for help to find Andrew, there has been no trace of him.

His photograph was displayed on milk cartons in 1998 when it was believed he could be living in the London area.

But tomorrow another effort will be made to find Andrew when his photograph and those of nine other missing people will be displayed on the side of Ford lorries as they travel across the country.

Coinciding with Missing Persons' Month, the eye-catching blue trailers will have 6ft by 4ft photographs of missing people on both sides, as well as the National Missing Persons' Helpline (NMPH) number, in the hope of jogging memories.

Andrew's mum, Sally Smith, of Gwynne Road, Parkstone, has welcomed the initiative and hopes it will prove successful in attracting people's attention.

She is hopeful the trucks might travel across to Europe, where Andrew may have disappeared to.

"It's not a nice feeling to see your son's face splashed across a milk carton or a lorry but if it helps bring one person back it will be worth it," she said.

"I'm not getting my hopes up that it will help us but any initiative to help find my son or anybody else's relative is a bonus.

"I'm very grateful Ford is spending the money to help a group of people that are currently living in limbo."

Anyone who recognises a missing person featured should phone the free and confidential number 0500 700 700.

NMPH spokesperson Jessica Prasad said: "An estimated 210,000 people are reported missing every year and Ford's help in the search for some of them is invaluable."