Police issue urgent appeal in search for 18 year old gay Londoner

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

The Metropolitan Police are appealing urgently for anyone in the gay community wit information about a 18 year old man missing from Thamesmead in South London.

Benjamin Eric Surman was last seen on Friday 18th July 2008 at 0030 leaving the Rose and Crown Public House, Greenwich SE10.

Ben has only been in Thamesmead a few weeks, having moved down from the family home in Oxfordshire to stay with his brother. He left school in June and did not yet have a job.

Friends, family and police are seriously concerned for his welfare as no-one has heard from him and he has never gone missing before.

It is believed that Ben had only a small amount of money on him.

Ben is a gay man and mixes with the gay community

He had recently told his family he was feeling depressed but is not believed to be taking any medication.

Ben is described as white, of thin build, about 6ft 2inches tall with short dark brown hair. When last seen, he was wearing a black hooded top with a No Fear logo, smart black trousers, black boots and a silver necklace with a pendant of a winged bat.

Anyone with information on Benjamin’s whereabouts is asked to call Plumstead CID on: (+44)0208 284 9416.