MILITARY police based in Bulford who are searching for a toddler who disappeared 36 years ago are to launch a “major forensic search” of a site close to where she was last seen.

Katrice Lee vanished from the NAAFI shopping centre in Schloss Neuhaus, Germany close to the military base where her father was stationed for the Army, on 28 November, 1981.

She had turned two years old on the day she went missing and had been out shopping with her mother.

Despite wide-scale searches of the area were conducted by the Royal Military Police (RMP), German Police, British troops and volunteers Katrice was never found.

The RMP will now carry out excavation work on the banks of the River Alme in Paderborn.

It follows the reopening of Katrice’s disappearance in 2012 and the reanalysis of evidence gathered during the original investigation, which pinpointed the river as an area of interest.

Senior Investigating Officer Warrant Officer Class 1 Richard O’Leary, of the Bulford-based investigation team, said: “On this basis, a team of military personnel and civilian forensic experts will be carrying out a detailed excavation of the site, which is expected to last approximately five weeks. The aim of the search is to find evidence that could finally shed light on what happened to Katrice.”

He has also renewed an appeal for information about a man seen at the shopping centre placing a child matching the toddler's description into a green saloon car.

“In February 2017 the case featured on BBC Crimewatch,” said WO1 O’Leary. “As part of the feature a photo-fit was released of a man seen at the NAAFI on the day Katrice disappeared, holding a child similar to Katrice and getting into a green saloon car. We are keen to hear from anyone who could help to identify this person.

“A green saloon car was also seen on the River Alme Bridge near the NAAFI the day after Katrice disappeared. It may or may not be the same car, but we are very keen to identify this car.”

The investigation team would also like to hear from anyone who was living in the Paderborn area who owned a green saloon car in 1981, so that they can be ruled out of the team’s enquiries.

“Thirty-six years have passed and allegiances may have changed,” said WO1 O’Leary. “We are appealing to members of the public and the military community, including veterans and retired civil servants in both Germany and the UK; do you know what happened to Katrice?”

Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Katrice was abducted and is living her life, not knowing who she really is.

She was born with an unusual eye condition in her left eye and it would take two medical operations to correct it.

WO1 O’Leary added: “An age progression image of what Katrice may look like now, aged 38, has been produced. If anyone feels they know someone who looks like this, or believes they could be Katrice, then we would encourage them to come forward.”

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “The disappearance of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare and I have been struck by the courage and dignity of the Lee family who have never given up on their search for Katrice.

“As this major dig gets under way, the efforts and expertise of the Royal Military Police are behind the family. I urge anyone who was in the Paderborn area at the time of the disappearance to contact the helpline – even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this heart-wrenching case.”