"When she went missing, I could never bring myself to get rid of the Chevy"

Mr Berry, 73, said: ‘A few days before she went, I told her I had this 1986 Chevrolet, a special Nascar limited edition, which I would teach her to drive in. And I told her if she did good, I’d give it to her.

‘The first thing she asked me was, ‘‘Grandpa, do you still have my car?’’ I joked and said, ‘‘No, I’ve given it away.’’ But then I heard silence and I told her I was kidding and she burst into tears of happiness.

‘I used to look at that car and think of her. I hope she was thinking of it too, and of us, while she was in there and I hope that helped her to get through it. I used to take Mandy to motor shows when she was a little girl.