We have had a number of enquiries recently from visitors to this site concerning the Charlene Downes case. Readers may recall that 14-year old Blackpool girl, Charlene Downes, went missing in November 2003. Despite a great deal of publicity and an intensive police campaign she has never been found.

Later, two men were arrested and charged with her murder. One was the owner of a kebab shop and the other his business partner.

The court case, which was held before Preston Crown Court last year, resulted in the jury being unable to reach agreement. Consequently a retrial was ordered for the start of this year. Unfortunately, due the caseload before that court, the case has slipped back somewhat against the calendar.

However, your news team, having been in touch with the media in Blackpool this week, can confirm that the retrial is due to start in April – on or around the 14th we are informed. We are also led to believe that the first week of the retrial will largely concern itself with legal argument – agreeing the “ground rules” against which the retrial will be conducted – rather than prosecuting the case itself.

Bearing in mind the “sensitive” nature of the case the national media will, we strongly suspect, either boycott the trial or give it minimal coverage – as it did with the Kriss Donald murder trial.

One of the few very BBC reports on this case may be found here .