A church minister is inviting family and friends of missing Wiltshire people to attend a service in Warminster next month.

The Rev David Hayes hopes families who have missing relatives will find comfort at the service, to be held at the Church of St Denys The Minster, in Church Street, on Sunday, May 10.

In Wiltshire, figures compiled by Jane’s Police Review, an independent police magazine, show there were 2,287 people registered as missing in 2007/08.

Mr Hayes, of North Row, said: “The idea has been rattling around since 2003. I was in Australia for my mother’s 91st birthday and it happened to be Missing Persons’ Week while I was there, and I thought, ‘what a good idea’.

“Life goes on for many people, but those in the position where a member of their family is missing are left with the worry.”

The Missing Persons’ Day ceremony coincides with the two-year anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.

The three year old from Leicestershire was taken from an apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz in The Algarve, Portugal, on May 3, 2007.

Mr Hayes said: “If a person just disappears for weeks and months, there is no closure for the families - they are constantly living in limbo.

“Regardless of whether families want to be there at the service themselves or not, we can remember for them if they so wish.”

The service, which starts at 9.30am, will be led by the Rev Harvey Gibbons.

Each year police across the UK deal with more than 200,000 reports of missing people.

Charities such as The Salvation Army and Missing People offer support for families, runaway children, a family tracing service and help to adults looking to be reunited with their relatives.

For more details visit www.missingpeople.org.uk/ or call 0800 298 7858.

If you are a family looking for a lost loved one call Mr Hayes on 01985 212929 or email dmhforge@btinternet.com