Roughly one quarter of a million people are reported missing in the UK every year.

Most are found safe and well within 72 hours, but sadly some are not.

The Chronicle has joined forces with a charity which searches for missing people on behalf of the friends and family left behind to publicise the appeals of three men who have disappeared from Chester, Northwich and Ellesmere Port respectively.

Missing People – formerly called the National Missing Persons Helpline – was founded more than 20 years ago by sisters Janet Newman and Mary Asprey following the high-profile disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh.

The independent charity, which is funded by donations and supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, exists to ensure that anyone who is missing can find a safe way to reconnect with loved ones or get to a place of safety, as well as providing support to those living with not knowing what has happened to someone they care about.

Local cases

Karl Jones has been missing from Chester since November 14, 2012. He was 35 when he disappeared.

Ronald Ellis was 31 when he disappeared from Northwich on May 1, 2010.

Alan Brown was aged 46 when he went missing on June 1, 2011 from Ellesmere Port.

Can you help find them?

Karen Robinson, from Missing People, said: “Around 250,000 people go missing each year in the UK and families left behind can experience a wide range of emotions.

“The uncertainty and grief families often experience about what might have happened to their missing loved one is described as ‘ambiguous loss’.

“Many families say it can be hard to find people who understand their situation and feelings.

“We have been providing practical and emotional support on our helpline to families and friends of missing people for more than 20 years and are also able to appeal for missing people through our network of media partners, social media and digital billboards.

“More recently, as part of our existing partnership Royal Mail Group has created a new freepost address – Freepost Missing People – to help missing people make contact with their families.

“The new system is a simple way for missing people to send a message, with the option of doing so without the possibility of being traced.”

Anyone with information about any of these cases can contact Missing People by call or text on its free and confidential helpline 116 000, which is available 24 hours a day.