The disappearance of 14 year old schoolgirl Charlene Downes is one of the most notorious missing person cases in UK history. When Charlene vanished from Blackpool in the North West of England in November 2003, it resulted in a media frenzy, one monetized by tabloids cashing in on rumours and exploited for political purposes by the far-right. In the two decades since she vanished, countless theories have been suggested and dozens of suspects put forward, including members of Charlene’s own family. Very few missing person cases have received such coverage and scrutiny, yet, today, her loved ones are no closer to learning what happened to Charlene that night, than they were over twenty years ago.

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This episode is presented by Pandora Sykes

https://www.instagram.com/pandorasykes

The Missing is a What's The Story? original

https://www.whatsthestorysounds.com/

The series is made with the support of two amazing charities, Missing People and Locate International

https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/

https://locate.international/

This episode was first produced in conjunction with Podimo

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