Crimewatch films Milly disappearance

A BBC TV crew has been filming a reconstruction of the last minutes before 13-year-old Amanda Dowler - known as Milly - disappeared, in a desperate bid to jog people's memories.

A Crimewatch crew recreated the time Milly spent in a cafe on Walton-on-Thames station, chatting happily and eating chips with her friends, before filming actress Elizabeth Pryor setting off on the journey to Milly's home, 15 minutes walk away.

The actress was dressed in a uniform, borrowed from Heathside School, and was carrying a beige rucksack identical to the one Amanda used.

Earlier today, police searching for the missing schoolgirl said they were still confident of finding her alive, six days after she disappeared.

The man in charge of the hunt for Milly said his officers were not giving up hope, even though there have been no sightings of the 13-year-old since she left the caf? at 4.05pm last Thursday.

Superintendent Alan Sharp said: "We continue to look and we are hopeful that we'll find Amanda alive and well. We have to keep a completely open mind. It's still possible Amanda has taken it into her own hands to disappear and I again appeal to her not to be frightened to contact the police or her family. There will be no repurcussions for her."

As he spoke Milly's father Robert, 50, her mother Sally 42, and sister Gemma, 16, waited at home for news.

Police were inundated with calls from the public after the family released a home video showing Milly fooling around while ironing jeans and practising her saxophone, but so far not a single new lead has emerged.

Supt Sharp said: "It's astonishing that if Amanda was abducted from a busy road nobody has seen her. Her family are under a great deal of pressure, but they are bearing up well. They are hoping and praying for the return of their daughter."

Detectives have been patiently questioning Milly's friends for any clues as to her state of mind. They have trawled through her diaries and personal possessions in the hope of turning up any indication that she may have planned to run away. Supt Sharp said: "We can't rule out that she was abducted, or that she had a secret boyfriend with whom she planned to run away, but there's nothing in her diaries to suggest that she was under the undue influence of anybody."

Meanwhile police and firefighters continued a fingertip search of the area between Weybridge station - where Milly boarded her train after leaving Heathside School - and Hersham station, near her home. They are considering extending the search to the nearby Queen Elizabeth II and Island Barn reservoirs, two of several large expanses of water between the town and Thames Ditton.

Milly and her best friend Cara, 13, had travelled together from school to Walton station. There Milly phoned her father to say she would be late. While Cara continued home Milly and another friend, Danielle, went into the Travellers Cafe at the station for chips.

Milly left on her own and was reportedly seen 200 yards along Station Approach, outside the offices of Birds Eye Wall's, walking in the direction of her home, off Rydens Road.

However it emerged last night that CCTV film from the Birds Eye security cameras failed to shed any light on Milly's disappearance. So far none of the shopkeepers or residents on the route have been able to provide any information. Surrey police renewed their appeal for CCTV footage from homes, shops and offices in the area.

The BBC Crimewatch reconstruction will be shown on Thursday.